Residents of the West Bend and Roncesvalles areas of Toronto have reacted to the coronavirus outbreak in many ways that promote consideration and support for their neighbours and patrons, ways that range from declaring support for Essential Workers to sharing bits of humour through shop windows and creating fun, social-distancing appropriate activities such as front lawn "I Spy"!

A photograph showing a facsimile of an apple, several stories tall, with a face painted on it. On the face is a large piece of fabric tied to look like a mask. The Big Apple is a roadside attraction along the busy Toronto-Montreal-Ottawa corridor of Highway 401 near Cobourg, Ontario. Anyone who has travelled this route within the last 20 years or more is familiar with the landmark which has, at times, been billed at the World's Largest Apple, and is attached to an apple pie bakery. The caption accompanying the photograph says "OH MY GOD THEY PUT A MASK ON THE BIG APPLE" (followed but two emojis crying from laughter)

"'We can answer a lot of questions (in Hutterite colonies) that can’t be answered in mainstream communities,' said Dr. Mark Loeb, a McMaster infectious disease professor who’s heading the project. It’s 'knowledge that couldn’t be obtained anywhere else.'" "The safety council chastised some members for visiting doctors without warning them they were sick, not observing social distancing and travelling outside their colony when it was not essential. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said Wednesday the province may impose restrictions on travel to and from the colonies to curb spread of the coronavirus. But Moe also argued against stigmatizing the Hutterites, who have seen businesses indiscriminately barring members of the communities."

"A University of Toronto professor says lab tests show that the antimicrobial coating developed by a Canadian surgical mask manufacturing company can “deactivate” more than 99% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19, within a half-hour period."

A meme the caption to which reads "Every parent right now" followed by three identical images of an SNL performer dressed as a middle aged women with large hair, looking horrified and/or disgusted. Under each image is a caption, they read "STARTING SCHOOL IN PERSON," "STARTING SCHOOL ONLINE," "HOMESCHOOLING" This is a reference to the inconstant ways in which boards are choosing to run schools in the fall, all of which have different opponents. Many boards have changed their plans several times over the summer as the number of cases in their areas have changed and they have received feedback from parents, teachers, and health professionals.

"Saturday’s pop-up site near Jane St. and Steeles Ave. W. will make low-barrier testing available in an area where some neighbourhoods have case rates more than 10 times higher than the least-affected parts of the city — a disproportionate infection risk linked to systemic disadvantages."

A one panel comic in which several scientists in lab coats stand around a lab bench with the usual equipment. One, who is facing the rest of the group is pointing to a man sitting at a computer desk typing away while wearing a hoodie, sunglasses, and large earphones, the usual monikers of a hacker. The scientist pointing is saying "Yuri here will head up our Covid 'research' while the rest of you can continue your work on athletic doping and poisoning enemies of the state." This is a reference to the news, this week, from Canada, the US, and UK, that all have discovered a prominent hacker group associated with the Russian government attempting to hack their covid-19 and covid-19 vaccine research at various institutions. The response to the Russian government was that they are conducting their own research and are "close" to developing a vaccine of their own. This alleged imminent breakthrough is something of which many in Canada and other countries, including the creator of this comic (it would seem) are skeptical.

A editorial cartoon which depicts four children, wearing backpacks and masks, standing in front of a brick school building. Over the door of the building hangs a neon sign which read "BAR" with two martini glasses. One of the children is saying "LOOKS LIKE SCHOOL DILEMMA SOLVED..." in reference to the fact that bars were allowed to open very early in the pandemic but the ability of schools to open in the fall is still up in the air and varies by region and board.

An article relaying an incident which encompasses two of the largest issues facing Canada, and Ontario, specifically at the moment: the coronavirus (and subsequent public health measures) and changing views on the role of police in society. A 78 year old man was shot and killed by police after if he refused to wear a mask in a supermarket in cottage country north of Toronto. He then assaulted an employee and drove off recklessly, prompting police to attend his house to arrest him, where the fatal incident occurred. The body responsible for the investigation of this and other police involved deaths in Ontario, the SIU, has come under scrutiny this year as social justice advocates feel it is inappropriate for a watch dog body to be made up largely of retired police officers is not impartial.

"Gaspé’s regional health authority says the squads have received the close collaboration of municipalities that are local tourist attractions. The 10-member squads will be on duty from noon to 8 p.m. daily until the middle of August. The distribution of masks will also take place."

"To limit any possible spread of COVID-19, members of the national sentry program will follow protective health measures of the government and the Canadian Forces. Visitors are asked to keep a minimum two-metre distance from the sentries at all times, the military noted in its statement." An article relaying that the sentries at the National War Memorial will be in place again. They normally stand guard every summer but have not so far this year due to the pandemic. The Canadian Armed Forces have had particularly strict regulations in place for the members since March, in an attempt to ensure should military personnel be needed to respond to a crisis, health or otherwise, there will be sufficient healthy staff available to do so. The presence of sentries at the memorial, which is also the site of the tomb of the unknown soldier, is not particularly representative of the city or military for most Ottawans or visitors but has taken on added significance since a lone gunman shot and killed one of the sentries, from behind, before storming the parliament buildings, several years ago. The sentry was the only victim to die in that attack and his death on duty has given an even deeper value in the post to those who hold it.

"In one school, she said, there’s one full-time teacher, a part-time teacher and an education assistant. There’s no administrator, which raises a new host of problems during a pandemic. “'When there’s no administrator on site, and a kid gets sick, what do you do?' Douglas said. 'Who’s gonna be responsible for that child?' "But the barriers to remote learning are also greater up north, she said. “'A lot of us don’t have Wi-Fi abilities at our homes,' Douglas said. 'We pay an exorbitant amount of money to get Wi-Fi. And for us to do online learning, it’s been a challenge for many members. I’ve had members who have paid upwards of $700 for their Wi-Fi, just to do the distance learning.'”

"Indigenous bands along the west coast of British Columbia say their borders will remain closed to tourists and non-residents, despite the economic impact, as they work to raise awareness about the threat COVID-19 poses to their communities." "'A lot of our communities are remote and testing is not easily available,' she said. 'If you’re in Port Alberni, or Nanaimo, or Victoria, or somewhere (else), you can get testing and get results in 24 hours. It’s not the same with our communities.' "The closures have resulted in disputes between Indigenous groups and local businesses. "The Haida Nation in Haida Gwaii have turned away non-residents at the ferry terminal, discouraged leisure travel and called on two local fishing lodges to rethink their reopening plans."

"Many Canadian snowbirds — retirees who spend their winters in warmer climates — are concerned about travelling south, especially to the United States." "Undoubtedly, they are influenced by Global Affairs Canada’s ongoing COVID-19 travel advisory, recommending that Canadians “avoid all non-essential travel outside Canada and to avoid all cruise ship travel until further notice.” The ban has meant that Canadian insurers are not issuing travel health insurance for people who ignore the advisory, putting snowbirds at risk for health expenses related to COVID-19 and other ailments."

"Saturday’s mobile clinic was organized by Ottawa ACORN, an advocacy group for low and moderate income families. It approached Ottawa Public Health to help organize the clinic, which was supported by The Ottawa Hospital, CHEO, Ottawa Inner City Health and the Ottawa Paramedic Service. The Ottawa Mission supplied hot meals to staff and those waiting to be tested, and the company Honey Group brought its mobile SMRT testing booth, which offers contactless testing."

"She met her pastor for a grief counselling session at St. John’s Lutheran Church that afternoon, but the meeting was unlike any she’d had in the era of physical distancing. They sat less than two metres apart from each other, and weren’t wearing any masks. They were sitting inside the “God Pod:” a 4-foot by 6-foot enclosed meeting space that looks like an altered and pandemic-proofed confessional booth."

This past Saturday, I went to the craft store at the local strip mall with my mom. I needed yarn to knit some lace onto a project I have going and she, upon hearing this, called a single 93 year old lady we do the shopping for during the pandemic and asked if she would like any yarn since she knits too, and she did. It was 1 pm when we were there and the line to get into the local Loblaws grocery store was the longest I have ever seen it. I counted at least 14 families in line, which would mean it would likely take them as much 30 mins to an hour to get into the store. The other notable fact about the line is that it contained multiple children. Up until recently the policy was that only one individual per household was allowed in the store at a time and parents were not allowed to bring in children. As this policy has react parents and guardians, according to my mom who does our groceries, have started bringing their small children, sometimes in groups of 4 or 5. There are two sides to this of course, because firstly, many do not have the childcare to do others but the children often do not understand or observe social distancing in the stores. As we drove around to leave and saw the line my mom exclaimed "Well that settles it! If ever I was tempted I am not doing groceries on a Saturday! No matter how desperate we are! It is never that busy on weekdays!"

A text message I received from my brother where he shares a new emoticon created from keyboard characters which he discovered has been created during the pandemic which represents the classic plague doctor mask of the early modern period, which is frequently being used now as a reference to the current pandemic and the need to wear masks.

A mural by an unknown artist in Vancouver depicting two women in surgical masks with head/hair coverings surrounded by small blue birds with a small message on its left side which reads "to all the essential workers of B.C. Gracias"

A tweet from famed Canadian astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield and resulting response from Ottawa Public Health. The initial tweet shows three of the main characters from the original Star Trek (Bones, Kirk, and Spock) with medical masks superimposed on their faces and another crew member, wearing the red shirt which is often jokingly said to mark a character for death, in the background without a mask. The response from Ottawa Public Health is the addition of a quote from the famously logical character of Spock: "Insufficient facts always invite danger." This is possibly a reference to those who are claiming masks are ineffectual or even dangerous based on limited or untruthful sources- a section of the population with which the Public Health unit deals frequently.

An in-depth article looking at the way Regional Multicultural Youth Council of Northern Ontario and its director Moffat Makuto are attempting to adapt and continue to support the community during the pandemic when they were already struggling financially prior to this event. "The pandemic presented a new challenge to the 70-year-old restaurant owner and executive director of the Multicultural Association of Northwestern Ontario, which is the council’s parent organization. "'Continuity when you work with young people is very important,' Mr. Makuto said. "Before the pandemic, the council met weekly, often at the centre, to plan their many initiatives. For instance, the council held a monthly discussion with high-schoolers from across the city on relevant issues. One session before the shutdown focused on how to create safer schools for LGBTQ2S students. "Council meetings have since moved online, but Mr. Makuto said it’s been difficult to organize, as some young people lack enough data on their phones to participate or were relying on local libraries for internet access. "The council would also normally run after-school programming – and provide food – on weekdays at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, which serves First Nations students, including those who come to Thunder Bay for school from home communities in Northern Ontario."

"An Ottawa company has developed a mobile COVID-19 testing booth it says increases safety and reduces the need for personal protective equipment. "Honey Group has developed “SMRT Booth”, a mobile testing solution for COVID-19 testing during the pandemic. "Honey Group says the 'SMRT Booth' stands for: - Safe – the SMRT Booth ensures all health care providers and patients are safe during testing as there is no physical contact -Mobile – The SMRT Booth can be placed anywhere -Reduce PPE: Honey Group says the SMRT Booth reduces and almost eliminates the use of personal protective equipment -Testing Time: Honey group says the booth allows health care providers to test patients faster as they don’t have to change PPE in between patients."

An article discussing incredibly increased demand resulting in back-orders of recreational goods across the National Capital Region/Ottawa Valley. These goods include: canoes and kayaks; above ground pools and hot tubs; golf clubs, inline skates, and tennis rackets; and home fitness equipment. The increase in demand is attributed to people having more free time on their hands with less options to fill it due to the pandemic. All these products are also those which can be used at home or outdoors at a significant distance from others.

"As she boarded a bus Monday after a morning of classes at a downtown Vancouver campus, Tina Hoang was pleased to see that most passengers were physically distancing. "She sat down at an empty area near the middle of the bus. "But soon, a white man got on board and walked by a row of people who were all wearing masks, who all happened to be people of colour. "'Jesus Christ! Everyone is wearing a mask. It’s the f---ing Chinese virus,' he ranted loudly. "Hoang, who is 21, said she snapped at that moment after enduring months of dirty looks from people in Vancouver, which she attributed to scapegoating for the coronavirus outbreak."

"The 92-year-old victim had wandered into a convenience store near Nanaimo Street and East 1st Avenue on the afternoon of March 13, when the male suspect began yelling racist insults at the victim, including comments about COVID-19, police said Tuesday. "Outside the store, the suspect shoved the man, which caused him to fall to the ground and hit his head, police said."

A tweet from Ottawa Public Health addressing those who have been taking out their anger regarding the city's recent move to mandate masks in public spaces towards business employees attempting to enforce the rule.

The caption accompanying the video reads: "My heart was broken and tears shed... 'I am Canadian'. When that guy shouted at him, he didn't know how to fight back, he kept saying 'I'm Canadian'. Obviously, Canada is his home! Where is our multiculturalism? Where are our national values? Even PM Trudeau called grocery store employees "heroes"! Why are heroes treated like this...? I don't understand... facts also prove that wearing a mask can help stop the spread of coronavirus. What did he/they do wrong? Just because he asked you to wear a mask? Ridiculous!" A video which has gone viral and prompted a police investigation which shows a middle aged man going on a loud rant varying from how he feels masks are bad for general health and how they impact his specific health, to how the virus was released on purpose and blaming it on people of Chinese descent in a T&T in Missisauga. T&T is a Canadian grocery chain specifically offering Chinese and other Asian goods and catering to Asian communities, though in recent years they have also gained some degree of popularity with Canadians of other backgrounds. In the video the man continues to advance on a masked, older male employee who is standing with his arms out, saying "where are your 2 metres?! Back away from me!" while moving forward. Several employees are gathered around asking the man to leave the store repeatedly while his wife, likewise unmasked, pulls on his arm in an attempt to deescalate. When the male employee's place of birth/citizenship becomes challenged, and the customer begins spouting off racist conspiracy theories the employee begins repeatedly yelling that he is Canadian, while attempting to get the man to leave. The customer does not mention until about halfway through the video that he has asthma and claims he will suffer and asthma attack should he wear a mask, but by that point he has made himself unwelcome and the staff tell him they reserve the right to have him leave regardless. Once again, the man's female companion is also not wearing a mask and gives no reason for this. The city of Mississauga does not currently have a bylaw or health order requiring masks indoors like Toronto, of which it is a suburb, but the T&T chain has an store policy requiring masks and has for nearly a month.

For the first time since coming home to live with my parents for the summer/the pandemic my mom bought the brand of bread and thickness of slice I like (she prefers thin slice Wonderbread.) Demster's is a well known and established Canadian brand. It was only when about 3/4 of the way through the loaf that I noticed the message on the bag for grocery and food chain workers. In red font to match the Canadian Maple Leaf which if part of the company's logo and reflect the patriotic nature of the message it reads: "OUR FRONTLINE SHOWS STRENGTH. / OUR FRONTLINE FEEDS FAMILIES. / OUR FRONTLINE SERVES COMMUNITIES. / TO OUR BAKERS, FRANCHISEES, DISTRIBUTORS, AND GROCERS HELPING TO KEEP CANADA GOING / THANK YOU.

"TTC riders are questioning the agency’s priorities after protesters deliberately broke TTC mask rules without repercussion. "Protesters rode the system on Tuesday without face coverings, flouting the TTC’s 'mandatory” mask rule, which the agency has admitted it doesn’t intend to enforce. It argues that its officers can’t tell, simply by looking, who is unable to wear a mask for medical reasons. "Upset riders took to Twitter on Tuesday to question the agency’s priorities given the heavy enforcement of fare evasion policy that included highly visible campaigns and hefty fines."

"MONTREAL — Le Chateau Inc. says it has started the manufacturing of up to 500,000 hospital gowns in partnership with Logistik Unicorp Inc. and its contract with the federal government. The retailer says all the gowns will be made in Canada." Canadian clothing brand Le Chateau, which usually makes prom dresses and suits, has announced they will now make hospital gowns in support of efforts to keep hospitals and clinics sufficiently supplied during the pandemic and resulting supply chain interruptions.

"And as B.C. settles into Phase 3 of its economic recovery plan, with businesses reopening and residents getting out in the summer weather to meet one another and enjoy the city, the boards — no longer needed to protect shuttered storefronts — live on as an open-air gallery in the same neighbourhood that inspired them." A gallery of photos depicting an exhibit of works of art on wooden panels, some of which previously boarded up businesses during the total shut-down, dedicated to health care workers and hope during the pandemic. The exhibit was organized by the Vancouver Museum and is located in the popular Gastown neighbourhood.

"Toronto’s homeless advocates have relaunched a lawsuit against the city over unsafe shelter conditions. "In a notice of motion filed Friday, a coalition of public-interest groups alleges that the city has failed to follow a settlement agreement meant to ensure physical distancing standards within the shelter system. "The lawsuit, first launched earlier this year, alleges the city put people’s lives at risk amid the pandemic by not following public health distancing recommendations."

'Many of our community members have very specifically said they don’t feel safe going to the hospital or even calling for an ambulance for the fear that they will be treated badly and not receive any kind of support beyond the immediate need of treating an overdose,' Shannon McDonald, Acting Chief Medical Officer of the First Nations Health Authority, said Monday on a video-conference to discuss the data."

The attached is a letter from Ottawa Public Health and the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the City of Ottawa, Dr. Vera Etches, outlining how the newly implemented public health order which requires the wearing of masks by all individuals in indoor public spaces and what there responsibilities are in relation to that order.

poster accompanying a tweet by Ottawa Public Health formally announcing that the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vera Etches, has declared masks or other face coverings mandatory in public indoor spaces. The city of Ottawa is expected to vote on a bylaw to the same effect on July 15. The accompanying tweet reads: "As you’ve likely heard, Ottawa Public Health is mandating the use of masks in many indoor public spaces, effective at 12:01am July 7, 2020. Please read the letter of instruction from @VeraEtches to business owners and operators : http://ow.ly/sAM830qWBrj" The

A tweet from the official twitter account of Library and Archives Canada reminding the public that when goalies first started wearing masks (the pictured Jacques Plante was the first) they were laughed at and derided by fellow players and fans as weak. Now, however, we acknowledge hockey masks save players from disfigurement or even death at the hands of a puck, stick, or opponent's skate. LAC is pointing out the same logic applies to wearing non-medical face masks to prevent the spread of covid19. The tweet itself reads: "This is Jacques. Jacques wore a mask before anyone thought it was cool. He faced ridicule and shaming, but he rose above it. Be like Jacques. #WearAMask"

A tweet by author Anne Thériault featuring a screenshot of a Facebook post extolling the benefits of putting herbs in the pocket many masks have in order to make the experience of wearing a mask more pleasant. The intended purpose of these pockets is as place to put an added filter to cloth masks should you need to enter a high risk area such as a hospital. The tweet itself points out how this is essentially identical to the practice of placing dried herbs and flowers (posies) in plague doctors masks during Bubonic Plague outbreaks- in that case to keep the scents which were thought to spread the disease at bay.

A tweet, which has gone "viral" in which a woman films an encounter she had with the triage nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital in Toronto where she says she went after suspecting she had broken a finger. As the staff in the video repeatedly tell her, Ministry of Health policy states everyone in hospital must wear a mask, and a hospital may refuse treatment to a patient who refuses to comply. The staff also repeatedly informs the woman filming in a health care centre is not permitted, under law, due to concerns for the privacy of other patients. While many are very angry with this individual, and government and the hospital have roundly condemned her behaviour, others in the comment section for this tweet agree with her and defend her.

"The program took off like a rocket in April, when the coronavirus crisis reached full swing. Suddenly, adopting ducklings became something of a craze in Toronto, where thousands of families discovered a welcome distraction from the daunting headlines and cooped up days at home because of the pandemic. However, some families who signed up apparently didn't understand what they were getting into. Some seemed to be unaware the pair of ducklings they paid $150 to foster at home would eventually have to be returned to the farm from whence they came in order to be sold..." "A London area farm sanctuary says it's been forced to clean up after a foster baby duck program when some of the participating families from Toronto couldn't stomach the fact the ducklings they paid to raise might end up on a dinner plate."

Florida cases have been surging, and have just passed 200,00. The trajectory of the state is currently on track to be the worst of all US states. Canada, with over 10 million more people, has around half the cases. The state remains mostly open. It seems that a handful of US states have taken over the headlines for worst hotspots. Florida leads these states as the worst of the worst in terms of new cases surging. When comparing Florida to countries with similar or even notably larger populations, the difference is striking. I included this tweet to highlight the reopening vs continued lockdown approaches of Florida and Canada.

"It's nothing to be concerned about, however. A woman sitting in a silver sedan at the Cornwall Bingo Centre parking lot has gotten a bingo, notifying staff with a short honk."

A mural somewhere in Toronto which features 3 female figures lounging in an apartment along with the words "STAY HOME"

Article discussing the closure of the popular Wasaga Beach following holiday crowds over Canada Day. "The public’s 'blatant disregard' for the rules of social distancing has resulted in Wasaga Beach laying out a plan to shut down the majority of the main beach area by July 9."

A thread of tweets from local reporter Amanda Pfeffer. The first is a video of the small crowd on The Hill and then a series of photographs in which protesters are holding signs. In the top left image the signs read, "WEARING A MASK IS A SIGN OF SUBMISSION" and "SOCIAL DISTANCING IS FOR ROBOTS!" behind the couple is a sign reading "THE CANADIAN REVOLUTION" and the woman's tank top reads "HUGS OVER MASKS" In the top right image a woman dressed in scrubs and a stethoscope holds up a flag with letters applied to it which read, "STOP FRAUD ABORT COVID / VACCINES SCAM [?] / RECOVERY RATE 99.9% / DEATH RATE 0.03%" The bottom left image shows a chalk drawing which reads "BLACK LIVES MATTER" with an illegible Instagram handle underneath it. The bottom right image shows a chalk drawing which reads "CANADA DAY CELEBRATES STOLEN LANDS &..."

"Hundreds of people were on the beach and the surrounding area Wednesday afternoon and evening. One officer on scene told CTV News that at one point, there were close to 3,500 people in the area. "Witnesses say there was very little physical distancing." "Just after 8:00 p.m., police were called to the Mooney's Bay area, where they started turning cars and residents away. Around 10:00 p.m., the City requested the site be closed immediately, citing health concerns and disorder issues."

"As Dominion carillonneur Andrea McCrady played her 30-minute afternoon Canada Day concert on the Peace Tower’s 53 bells, pounding out The Log Driver’s Waltz, a megaphoned preacher (of sorts) was standing on the ledge of the Centennial flame urging listeners to 'repent and be converted,' while refusing to budge for tourists hoping for a clear selfie shot ('I was here first,' he rebuffed one visitor in Old Testament style). At the same time, an array of organized speakers addressed the crowd, warning of people like George Soros and 'so-called medical experts.' "'Our plan,” said one, 'is to infect as many people as we can with the truth.'" A news article describing events in Ottawa on Canada Day. Usually the streets, and particularly Parliament Hill are packed with thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of revelers as the Capital city is the centrepiece for celebrations across the country. The article discusses people going for walks and picnics but also protesting a variety of issues on The Hill; everything from Black Lives Matter to "5G Kills" or stating that wearing a mask is a violation of rights.

A tweet from an account following Bunsen the Bernese Mountain Dog and Beaker the Golden Retriever whose owner, a scientist calls "science dogs." The tweet lightheartedly reminds follows that just because you aren't seeing something (or it's effects) any more, doesn't mean it is gone and then offers public health advice.

"...with cottage owners now arriving on the Island, several people with out-of-province licence plates have had their cars vandalized, have been confronted or have had nasty notes left for them in incidents known locally as 'plate shaming.'" Article discussing hostility from locals to those with out of province license plates as they fear they may be carrying coronavirus into Prince Edward Island.

A tweet from author Anne Thériault talking about the silver lining to the disruption to routine brought on by the pandemic. She and her son have been staying with her mother in Kingston instead of their home in Toronto.

A text sent to a group chat of graduate students now dispersed across the county. The writer is from, and is currently living in, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He is sardonically expressing frustration at the absurdity of a state of affairs where the province cannot provide some basics, but can make interprovincial deals to allow people to travel and associate with others in the Maritimes.