OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is not at the point where the federal government needs to take emergency measures to force people to stay at home during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Trudeau says provinces and local governments continue to take steps to restrict people’s movements and the federal government stepping in is a last resort.
Nova Scotia is the latest province to declare a state of emergency, restricting gatherings to no more than five people.
Premier Stephen McNeil says people are blatantly ignoring the need for social distancing.
Police in Nova Scotia are being given the power to enforce social distancing with $1,000 fines for individuals and $7,500 fines for businesses.
Nearly 1,400 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Canada and 19 people have died.