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Township of West Lincoln

MEDIA RELEASE

Update #49 West Lincoln Response to COVID-19

Township Prepares for Modified Step 2 of Provincial Roadmap to Reopen

For Immediate Release: January 4, 2022

The Township of West Lincoln is preparing to implement new public health and workplace safety measures outlined by the Provincial Government. As announced by the Premier on January 3, 2022, Ontario will temporarily move to a modified Step 2 of the Roadmap to Reopen, effective Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 12:01 a.m., until at least January 26, 2022, subject to positive trends in public health and health system indicators.

The Premier indicated that this decision was made in response to recent trends showing an alarming increase of COVID-19 hospitalizations, and that these measures are necessary to slow transmission and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed as the province accelerates rollout of its COVID-19 vaccine booster dose program.

These measures include:

  • Reducing social gathering limits to five people indoors and 10 people outdoors.
  • Limiting capacity at organized public events to five people indoors.
  • Requiring businesses and organizations to ensure employees work remotely unless the nature of their work requires them to be on-site.
  • Limiting capacity at indoor weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites and ceremonies to 50 per cent capacity of the particular room. Outdoor services are limited to the number of people that can maintain 2 metres of physical distance. Social gatherings associated with these services must adhere to the social gathering limits.
  • Retail settings, including shopping malls, permitted at 50 per cent capacity. For shopping malls physical distancing will be required in line-ups, loitering will not be permitted and food courts will be required to close.
  • Personal care services permitted at 50 per cent capacity and other restrictions. Saunas, steam rooms, and oxygen bars closed.
  • Closing indoor meeting and event spaces with limited exceptions but permitting outdoor spaces to remain open with restrictions.
  • Public libraries limited to 50 per cent capacity.
  • Closing indoor dining at restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments. Outdoor dining with restrictions, takeout, drive through and delivery is permitted.
  • Restricting the sale of alcohol after 10 p.m. and the consumption of alcohol on-premise in businesses or settings after 11 p.m. with delivery and takeout, grocery/convenience stores and other liquor stores exempted.
  • Closing indoor concert venues, theatres, cinemas, rehearsals and recorded performances permitted with restrictions.
  • Closing museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions, amusement parks and waterparks, tour and guide services and fairs, rural exhibitions, and festivals. Outdoor establishments permitted to open with restrictions and with spectator occupancy, where applicable, limited to 50 per cent capacity.
  • Closing indoor horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues. Outdoor establishments permitted to open with restrictions and with spectator occupancy limited to 50 per cent capacity. Boat tours permitted at 50 per cent capacity.
  • Closing indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities including gyms, except for athletes training for the Olympics and Paralympics and select professional and elite amateur sport leagues. Outdoor facilities are permitted to operate but with the number of spectators not to exceed 50 per cent occupancy and other requirements.
  • All publicly funded and private schools will move to remote learning starting January 5 until at least January 17, subject to public health trends and operational considerations.
  • School buildings would be permitted to open for child care operations, including emergency child care, to provide in-person instruction for students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated remotely and for staff who are unable to deliver quality instruction from home.
  • During this period of remote learning, free emergency child care will be provided for school-aged children of health care and other eligible frontline workers.

Please refer to Ontario Regulation 263/20: Rules for Areas in Step 2 for the complete list of measures and conditions that apply to certain businesses, organizations, places, and individuals.

How this impacts Township facilities:

Effective Wednesday, January 5, 2022, the West Lincoln Community Centre, Caistor Community Centre, Wellandport Community Centre, and Silverdale Community Centre will close to the public, as required by Provincial Regulations.

The Smithville branch of the West Lincoln Public Library will remain open with limited capacity for in-person browsing, computer usage, and curbside pick-up. Wellandport and Caistorville branches will be open for curbside pick-up only and will be temporarily closed for in-person service. All curbside pick-up is by appointment only. Please call your branch in advance to schedule your pick-up time. Visit www.westlincolnlibrary.ca for more information and to access online programs, services, and resources.

The Township Administration building remains open to the public by appointment only. Please call 905-957-3346 in advance, to make arrangements for your desired service and to schedule your visit. Township staff remains available to serve the public online and over-the-phone, as well.

For notifications and important updates, remember to follow the Township of West Lincoln on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @TWPWestLincoln.

Quotes:

“‘A couple of steps forward and a slide backward’ seems to be the way things have been going for months on end, and the start of 2022 has proven to be no exception to this! Once again local decisions, following Provincial Regulations, have been made to try to safeguard our community and mitigate the affect of this new strain of virus on the appropriate running of our municipality. Please try to stay safe, West Lincoln. Be kind to one another as we once again follow some timely, though somewhat unpopular, decisions designed to protect us all.”

Cheryl Ganann

Councillor

“As a Township, we will continue to listen to and implement all Provincial Regulations and Public Health guidelines, to protect health of our residents, visitors, and staff. Thank you all for your patience and cooperation as we continue to adapt to navigate these circumstances together.”

Bev Hendry

Chief Administrative Officer

Media Contact:

Beth Audet

Communications Specialist

baudet@westlincoln.ca