Region provides more detail on service changes and facility closures

Waterloo Region (Updated March 16, 2020)- Based on updated provincial directions around COVID-19, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, Region of Waterloo Public Health’s Acting Medical Officer of Health, has recommended an increased emphasis on social distancing in order to slow the spread of the virus within the community.

In response, the Region is making significant changes to services and programming, effective immediately. These changes will remain in effect until April 5, and will be evaluated for potential extension beyond that date.

Child care centres
The Region of Waterloo’s five directly operated child care centres will be closed until April 5, 2020.

Regional Museums

The Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum, Joseph Schneider Haus and McDougall Cottage with be closed to the public effective Monday, March 16. This includes all March break camps.

Region of Waterloo Library branches

All Region of Waterloo Library branches will be closed to the public beginning Monday, March 16, 2020. This includes all Library programming.

Grand River Transit

All GRT buses and MobilityPLUS will continue running on a regular schedule until further notice. Effective Tuesday, March 17, ION trains will be running every 15 minutes.

Schedules may be adjusted depending on needs. View more details at https://www.grt.ca/en/rider-information/novel-coronavirus.aspx

Sunnyside Home

In response to the novel coronavirus, under the direction of the Ministry of Health all non-essential visits to Sunnyside Home have been suspended until further notice. Please read about the visitor restrictions.  

Garbage collection

Garbage and recycling collection will remain unchanged.

Provincial Offences  Court Closures

All Provincial Offences Act matters scheduled in Waterloo Region from Monday, March 16 to Friday April 3, 2020 will be adjourned and rescheduled to a later date. If you have a matter scheduled during this time, you do not need to attend court.  A notice for your new court date will be sent by mail to the address on file with the court. 

For more information, please contact Region of Waterloo Provincial Offences court at: Phone: 519-745-9446,  Fax: 519-742-1112,  TTY/ATS: 519-575-4607

Emergency Services

All emergency services including Paramedic Service and critical regional and municipal services will continue.

“These are challenging times for our community and the decisions we have made may have significant impact on those we serve,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman. “We don’t make these decisions lightly but we believe these decisions are in the best interest of our communities, and our collective health.”

Water Efficiency programs
 
Naturescaping Seminars, previously scheduled for March 31 to April 25, are cancelled.
Rain Barrel Distribution scheduled for April 25 has been postponed. We hope to hold the sale at a later date.
WET Home Program is paused. Our partner Reep Green Solutions is not conducting home audits or scheduling new home visits at this time. The program will re-start at a future date. For more information please contact Reep Green Solutions at 519-744-9799 ext 1 or by email

For more information on closures and cancellations across Waterloo Region, visit www.regionofwaterloo.ca.

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Media contact:

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