Cities and towns across the region are cancelling services and closing facilities

THUNDER BAY – A rapidly-evolving public health response to COVID-19 in Canada is leaving municipalities scrambling to respond. Towns and cities across Northwestern Ontario have implemented policies in the last several days intended to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect employees.

The list below captures which facilities are closed and what services are restricted in municipalities across the region as of Sunday morning. These responses are evolving quickly and readers are urged to refer to their local district health units and municipalities directly for updates.

Thunder Bay

Enhanced screening and visitor restrictions are in place at Pioneer Ridge Long-Term Care & Senior Services, Jasper Place Support Services.

The Thunder Bay Public library has closed all branches until at least April 6.

The Ogden and Woodcrest daycare centres are closed, as mandated by the province since they are located inside schools.

Kenora

The Kenora Recreation Centre and the Keewatin Memorial Arena will be closed effective Monday, March 16, 2020 for three weeks.

City Hall will be closed to all foot traffic until further notice. Residents unable to pay bills or traffic tickets online will be provided extensions without penalty. Provincial Offences Courts that take place at City Hall have been cancelled until May or further notice.

The Operations Centre will be closed to the public effective Monday, March 16, 2020 and will remain closed for three weeks. For matters related to Cemetery please call 467-2067.

The Lake of the Woods Museum, Douglas Family Art Centre, Kenora Public Libraries, and the Lake of the Woods Discovery Centre will be closed effective Monday, March 16, 2020 and will remain closed for three weeks.

All in-home water and sewer service, such as rodding or meter work, will cease until further notice.

The regular City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 is cancelled until further notice.

City Transit will operate as usual, taking extra precautions to protect the staff and patrons of the City transit.

The Transfer Station will remain open. However, only bags with bag tags will be accepted, and cash transactions are suspended.

Dryden

The following city facilities are closed to the public until at least April 5:

All municipally-operated recreation facilities, including arena, fitness centre and pool

Dryden Public Library

Dryden & District Museum

Public access to Public Works Front Counter

Additionally, the city has cancelled a council meeting scheduled for March 23, put travel restrictions in place for municipal staff, and ceased non-essential water and sewer services.

Fort Frances

In a March 13 release, the town said municipal activities will continue as normal. That was before a case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Fort Frances Saturday, in a resident who had contracted it through international travel.

Oliver Paipoonge

Effective Monday, reduced services will be in effect. The municipality says it “will only be providing those that are essential.”

The following facilities will also be closed to the public until further notice:

NorWest Arena

Murillo and Rosslyn community halls

Murillo and Rosslyn libraries

Duke Hunt Historical Museum

Founders Museum

Sioux Lookout

The municipality is suspending meetings of all boards, commissions, and committees until April 30. Out-of-town staff travel has been suspended, with allowance for “extenuating circumstances.”

The following facilities will be closed to the public:

Municipal daycare centres (Sioux Mountain and Biidaaban) closed until April 6

Recreation centre and arena closed until at least April 5

Public library closed for at least three weeks as of March 13

Greenstone

The following programs are closed through April 5:

Beardmore and Geraldton EarlyON programs

Nakina after-school program

Longlac Friends of the North Daycare

Services at the Geraldton daycare will be limited to the children of designated emergency services personnel who are registered with the Geraldton or Longlac Friends of the North daycares.

All municipal recreation centres are closed through April 5. Seniors programming will be limited to transportation services for grocery shopping. Special programming is suspended through April 5.

Transportation services (with the exception of medical transportation) are limited to grocery shopping only.