Kenora’s city officials have declared a state of emergency for the municipality in response to growing concerns about COVID-19’s impact on Canadians. In addition, they’ve asked that Kenora’s summer residents stay in their permanent homes and hold off on moving into their cottages and summer residences.

The mayor’s office declared the state of emergency on Monday, March 30, along with many other Ontario communities. The state of emergency is in accordance with the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act of 1990.

The city has, as of yet, no confirmed COVID-19 cases; however, Mayor Dan Reynard said the city needs to take the “necessary precautions” to prepare everyone if the virus arrives in Kenora.

“I am pleading with you to take this situation seriously,” Mayor Dan Reynard said in a statement to the public. “Listen to the health experts and stay put. Please put yourself, your friends, family and the community first by staying home.”

The mayor’s office added that they’ve been working with the Lake of the Woods District Hospital and the Kenora District Services Board to develop an emergency contingency plan should the local hospital become “beyond capacity.”

Reynard is also asking Kenora’s summer residents to stay in their permanent homes and to not make any trips to their cottages and summer residences. The city says health experts are advising everyone to stop moving in order to minimize the virus’ impacts. This request also comes from Canada’s chief public health officer Theresa Tam.

“Our communities in the Northwest do not have the resources to deal with illness in seasonal residents,” read a statement from the Northwestern Health Unit’s acting medical officer of health Ian Gemmill.

Kenora MP Eric Melillo and Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford are also asking that out-of-riding vacationers stay home for the time being to avoid the potential spread of the virus.