Relief measures passed by Peterborough City Council
The City of Peterborough passed two relief measures re: COVID-19 at its Monday, March 30, 2020 virtual council meeting.
Short-term: No late charges will be applied for 60 days on March 31 and May 29 residential and commercial tax instalments.
Long-term: Staff to develop a long-term rate payer plan for tax relief during COVID-19 and bring this report to the May General Committee meeting.
Short-term: No late charges will be applied for 60 days on March 31 and May 29 residential and commercial tax instalments.
Long-term: Staff to develop a long-term rate payer plan for tax relief during COVID-19 and bring this report to the May General Committee meeting.
City of Peterborough Declares State of Emergency
After careful consideration of the increasing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding need for people to take necessary precautions, Mayor Diane Therrien has declared a State of Emergency for the City of Peterborough.This decision follows declarations made by the Province of Ontario for the entire province as well as numerous other municipalities that have declared local states of emergency. The City of Peterborough Emergency Control Group was activated on Friday, March 13, 2020 and has met frequently since that date.
The emergency declaration reinforces the urgency of the situation, Therrien said.
“By declaring an emergency, we are clearly stating as a community that our efforts are focused on the COVID-19 pandemic for the health and safety of everyone,” Therrien said. “For the safety of yourself and everyone, you need to stay home except for essential outings, follow social distancing guidelines to slow the spread of illness; and if you’re asked to self-isolate – you must do so. If you have returned from travel outside of Canada, you are, and everyone you live with is, required to self-isolate for 14 days. Refusing to do so is irresponsible and places our community at increased risk. Do your part to flatten the curve.”
The declaration of an emergency is available to municipalities under the Provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. It may provide access to provincial funding for actions related to the emergency and relief, should funding become available.
Emergency services including Peterborough Police Service, Peterborough Fire Services, and Peterborough County-City Paramedics continue to operate. The City continues to provide core services with some adjusted service levels.
For questions about COVID-19, people are encouraged to refer to health officials for up-to-date, reliable information. Peterborough Public Health provides information and links to provincial and federal resources at peterboroughpublichealth.ca.
To help slow the spread of COVID-19:
The situation is evolving. New decisions may be made affecting municipal services and facilities. For an up-to-date list of affected municipal services and facilities, please visit www.peterborough.ca/covid19.
The emergency declaration reinforces the urgency of the situation, Therrien said.
“By declaring an emergency, we are clearly stating as a community that our efforts are focused on the COVID-19 pandemic for the health and safety of everyone,” Therrien said. “For the safety of yourself and everyone, you need to stay home except for essential outings, follow social distancing guidelines to slow the spread of illness; and if you’re asked to self-isolate – you must do so. If you have returned from travel outside of Canada, you are, and everyone you live with is, required to self-isolate for 14 days. Refusing to do so is irresponsible and places our community at increased risk. Do your part to flatten the curve.”
The declaration of an emergency is available to municipalities under the Provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. It may provide access to provincial funding for actions related to the emergency and relief, should funding become available.
Emergency services including Peterborough Police Service, Peterborough Fire Services, and Peterborough County-City Paramedics continue to operate. The City continues to provide core services with some adjusted service levels.
For questions about COVID-19, people are encouraged to refer to health officials for up-to-date, reliable information. Peterborough Public Health provides information and links to provincial and federal resources at peterboroughpublichealth.ca.
To help slow the spread of COVID-19:
- Avoid non-essential gatherings – stay home as much as possible.
- Practice appropriate physical/social distancing – at least two metres apart.
- Wash your hands frequently using soap and for 15-20 seconds each time.
- Use hand sanitizer.
- Cough or sneeze into your arm.
- If you have COVID-19 symptoms, self-monitor and self-isolate. You can use the online self-assessment tool at covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/. If you are having difficulty breathing or experiencing other severe symptoms, call 911 immediately.
- If you have travelled outside of Canada recently, you must self-isolate for 14 days.
The situation is evolving. New decisions may be made affecting municipal services and facilities. For an up-to-date list of affected municipal services and facilities, please visit www.peterborough.ca/covid19.
