Emergency Powers in Response to COVID-19
Dan Sheppard outlines the emergency powers governments may use to respond to COVID-19
Each level of government has extraordinary powers that it may invoke in the case of an emergency. Often designed to deal with war and insurrection, these regimes have evolved to be responsive to a wide range of crises, including pandemics like COVID-19.
In March 2020, Dan Sheppard prepared a memo outlining some of the emergency powers that the provincial and federal governments may rely on in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, he has described all of the emergency orders that have been issued in Ontario, amendments to those orders, and new legislation, as the government responds to the pandemic.
The memo, which you can find here, will continue to be updated as the situation evolves.
Don’t forget to check out our COVID-19 Legal Resource Page