Vaughan remains vigilant in the fight against COVID-19

Jan. 3, 2022 5:00 p.m.
City of Vaughan
​Winter recreation programs will be postponed

As the global COVID-19 pandemic evolves and the Omicron variant spreads quickly across Ontario and Canada, the City of Vaughan continues to work with all levels of government to keep the community safe.

Following the Province’s announcement that Ontario will be moving into a modified Step 2 of its Roadmap to Reopen on Wednesday, Jan. 5, there is little impact to the City’s current operations as community centres are temporarily closed due to staffing shortages, Vaughan Public Libraries’ (VPL) Community Libraries are closed and the three Resource Libraries continue to operate at 50 per cent capacity. Curbside pickup is available at Community Libraries every day from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Based on the announcement, the City is postponing its in-person winter recreation programs scheduled to begin on Saturday, Jan. 15.  Further information will be provided in the coming weeks. The City will offer virtual programs live streamed via Zoom beginning on Saturday, Jan. 15. Programs include: web development, Roblox, coding, programming and STEM programs; cooking; filmmaking and organizing digital photo collections; and education and music series for individuals with special needs, featuring one-on-one support. Pre-registration is required and can be done at vaughan.perfectmind.com.

Vaughan fitness centres and swimming pools remain closed, and memberships have automatically been placed on a temporary hold and will be extended for the duration of the closure. Virtual recreational programming will continue uninterrupted. All outdoor amenities, including skating rinks and the City’s snowshoe loaner program, will continue to operate.

VPL’s three Resource Libraries – Bathurst Clark, Civic Centre and Pierre Berton – remain open and continue to operate with safety protocols in place. Visitors are reminded to stay vigilant and follow public health guidelines, including physically distancing at least six feet (two metres) from others, wearing a mask, and thoroughly washing and sanitizing hands. Citizens can still access VPL’s many free digital items – including eBooks and audiobooks, films and television programs, music streaming services, e-learning courses, bilingual materials and more – through VPL at Home. Virtual programming is available for all age groups to safely enjoy from home, and a full calendar is available in the Library’s What’s On Magazine. For more information on VPL services, please visit vaughanpl.info.

Additional provincial COVID-19 safety measures that will come into effect on Wednesday, Jan. 5 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 two metres of physical distance. Social gatherings associated with these services must adhere to the social gathering limits.
  • Retail settings, including shopping malls, are permitted to operate 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 are permitted to operate at 50 per cent capacity and abide by other restrictions. Saunas, steam rooms and oxygen bars are 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-premises 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 the number of spectators must not exceed 50 per cent occupancy and other requirements.
  • All publicly funded and private schools will move to remote learning starting Wednesday, Jan. 5 until at least Monday, Jan. 17, subject to public health trends and operational considerations.
  • School buildings would be permitted to open for childcare operations, including emergency childcare, 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 childcare will be provided for school-aged children of healthcare and other eligible frontline workers.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES
Essential City services remain uninterrupted, including fire and emergency response, waste collection, water/wastewater services, by-law and enforcement services, and the Access Vaughan contact centre at 905-832-2281 or accessvaughan@vaughan.ca. 

CITY WASTE BIN PURCHASES
The City is temporarily pausing the purchase of new blue boxes, green bins and garbage tags from community centres during the facility closures. To purchase blue boxes, green bins, kitchen containers or garbage tags online, visit vaughan.ca/ServiceVaughan. Sign up and pay through Service Vaughan and schedule a delivery for the bins or garbage tags to arrive right to your door. Home delivery fees are $2.50 per bin. 

#SLOWDOWNVAUGHAN
#SlowDownVaughan signs are still available for curbside pickup at community centres and the three Resource Libraries – Bathurst Clark, Civic Centre and Pierre Berton. Visit vaughan.ca/SlowDownVaughan for more details on this campaign, which encourages the public to slow down while driving on City roads.

HEALTH AND SAFETY
To keep the community safe, York Region Public Health is asking residents to follow this advice:

  • Stay home as much as possible and limit close contact to those in your immediate household.
  • Practise physical distancing with anyone outside of your household by staying two metres away from everyone else.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly and often.
  • Practise respiratory etiquette.
  • Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
  • Wear a face mask or covering when inside public places and when physical distancing cannot be maintained.
  • Clean high-touch surfaces often.
  • Download the COVID-Alert app.

VACCINATIONS
Every eligible individual is encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Many convenient options and locations are available within York Region to receive a vaccine by walking in or booking an appointment. Visit york.ca/COVID19Vaccine for the latest information. 

Those who feel unwell and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19 should contact York Region Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For additional information and resources on the virus, visit York Region's website at york.ca/COVID19.

For more information, visit the City’s COVID-19 webpage at vaughan.ca/COVID19.

For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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