Town of Collingwood Takes Precautions for COVID-19

March 30, 2020
Category: 
Corporate Service, Council

The Town of Collingwood has proactively implemented a number of temporary measures to help get ahead of COVID-19 and to protect Residents and Staff. The Town is closely monitoring the situation and is ready to ramp up Business Continuity and Essential Services Plans in the event that COVID-19 escalates. Town Staff and Council are working hard to safeguard the best interests of the community while continuing to successfully deliver Town Services.

Please exercise Social Distancing and Self-isolation.

Health information for prevention and self-care

The Town’s critical and essential services, including fire services, drinking water & wastewater treatment, snow clearing, enforcement of priority bylaws, and essential front counter customer services will continue (online and over the phone). The Town has isolated critical Staff so to ensure the continuation of essential services.

The Town of Collingwood will continue to track financial costs and will look for additional ways to collaborate with the County, Municipal partners, and the local hospital.

Council
Town Council is all business and doing everything in their power to combat this threat and navigate the community through these uncertain times. Council Members are available to the public via their contacts HERE

Public Gatherings
The Town of Collingwood has postponed all non-essential meetings, open-houses, conferences, and recreational programming until the end of March. All Town pre-planned programming is postponed until further notice.

Facility Closures

  • The Town Hall facility and in-person Customer Service Desks are closed until further notice.
  • Recreation Facilities are closed until further notice (Eddie Bush Memorial Arena, Central Park Arena, Collingwood Museum, Centennial Aquatic Centre, and the Simcoe Street Theatre).
  • Collingwood playgrounds, dog parks, skatepark, tennis courts, and fenced ball diamonds are temporarily closed until further notice.
  • The Collingwood Public Library is closed until further notice.
  • Town Staff from these locations will be deployed to assist with other Town Operations.

Customer Service
We are happy to assist you online and over the phone.

  • Call: 705-445-1030
  • Email: townhall@collingwood.ca
  • Visit: www.collingwood.ca
  • Drop Box: Drop Payments, Forms, or any questions off at the Town Hall Drop Box located at the front door. Please include your Contact Info.

A complete listing of Alternative Customer Service opportunities for some of Collingwood’s commonly used Town Services can be found HERE.

Council Meetings
Council and Committees of Council Meetings are postponed until April 20, unless there is an identified need to meet per the Town’s Administrative By-law. Other committees and advisory boards’ meetings are postponed. The Town is exploring electronic meeting opportunities and recent provincial changes may support this.

Statutory Meetings
Planning & Development Services continue to convene statutory pre-consultation meetings, scheduling meetings tentatively, and confirming as conditions warrant. The Town is working on an update on service delivery and is reviewing projects, committee dates, and impacts of revised schedules. Meetings are subject to resource constraints and will proceed only after essential services are fully resourced. Any affected parties will be proactively notified.

  • The viability and logistics associated with convening a meeting of the Committee of Adjustment for April 2 is under review.

Businesses
As it becomes available, the Town will provide information on federal and provincial economic supports for businesses. Discover COVID-19 Business Recovery Resources at www.collingwood.ca/recovery

Public Health Best Practices
The Town of Collingwood has increased diligence in sanitation activities, including more frequent wipe downs in high traffic areas. Additional hand sanitizer dispensers have been placed in public areas and signage focusing on hand-washing and cough etiquette has been placed in high-traffic locations. Transit buses are being disinfected on a nightly basis and additional disinfection supplies are to be made available for use by the bus driver or the public during the day while the buses are on route

Additional accurate up to date information is available from: 

Transit
Collingwood Transit operations will continue for the week of March 30 to April 5. The Town will follow the direction of local health officials if the risk of riding public transit changes.

  • Collingwood Transit has moved to no fares and back-door entry/exit only. The public is reminded to only use transit for essential travel.
  • buses are being disinfected daily and drivers have disinfecting wipes to use during daily operation.

By-law Enforcement
Enforcement of priority by-laws continues as an essential service. By-law Staff and OPP are collaborating with respect to essential businesses, physical distancing, and self-isolation, with first steps emphasizing the education of residents and businesses.

Social Services
The Town is reaching out to social service providers and will address requests from social service providers. The Town encourages the public to look out for each other, help neighbours and family, and not exercise product hoarding as others may be in need and without. 

Public Notices
Updates about Town Services will be available on the Town Website, and the Town Twitter & Facebook channels, as well as local News channels. The Town will continue to provide timely updates to residents.

Learn more at Collingwood's COVID-19 Information Portal