Region of Waterloo and local municipalities declare States of Emergency

Waterloo Region – Today, the Region of Waterloo, and all seven area municipalities, declared States of Emergency in accordance with the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The declaration of a municipal emergency is part of the Region and area municipalities’ ongoing efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, and will ensure our municipal governments can continue to act and respond quickly to the pandemic and any other events that arise in the weeks ahead.

Declaring a State of Emergency provides the Heads of Council the authority to take actions or make orders to protect the inhabitants of the municipality and increases the ability of municipalities to share resources, personnel and equipment to respond and support the broader public sector and key services. It also allows the Region to use and support volunteers to assist with providing critical services if needed.

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in our region and the next few days are critical in our ongoing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. The province has announced additional measures restricting non-essential services. If required, the Region and area municipalities may consider taking additional measures beyond what the province has already put in place.

This declaration sends the strongest possible message to our residents to stay home and to change their behaviour. The Regional Chair and all Mayors strongly encourage residents to continue taking every precaution to protect themselves – stay home, stay safe, and only venture out to buy essential supplies. Or order online if at all possible.

The Region continues to ask all non-essential businesses to close – as the Medical Officer of Health has urged publicly – and as the Government of Ontario has ordered. To further contain the spread of COVID-19, the Ontario Government has ordered the mandatory closure of all non-essential workplaces effective as of Tuesday, March 24th at 11:59 p.m. Local officials support this action by the province and have been clear that they will support further recommendations and orders from the Medical Officer of Health and the provincial and federal governments if people do not comply with the need to stay home.

For some helpful resources including how to help stop the spread of germs, how to self-isolate, self-monitor and social distancing best practices, visit www.regionofwaterloo.ca/COVID19

For more information, visit:

www.regionofwaterloo.ca
www.kitchener.ca
www.waterloo.ca
www.cambridge.ca
www.woolwich.ca
www.wilmot.ca
www.wellesley.ca
www.northdumfries.ca

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Media contacts:

Bryan Stortz, Corporate Communications, Region of Waterloo, bstortz@regionofwaterloo.ca

Jennifer Hassum, Corporate Communications, City of Kitchener, Jennifer.hassum@kitchener.ca

Tony Iavarone, Corporate Communications, City of Waterloo, tony.iavarone@waterloo.ca

Susanne Hiller, Corporate Communications, City of Cambridge, hillers@cambridge.ca

Val Hummel, Township of Woolwich, vhummel@woolwich.ca 

Kelly Baird, Township of Wilmot, kelly.baird@wilmot.ca

Grace Kosch, Township of Wellesley, gkosch@wellesley.ca

Michelle Poissant, Township of North Dumfries, mpoissant@northdumfries.ca