City extends facility closures until further notice

The closure of City of St. Catharines facilities to the general public has been extended until further notice.

The proactive measure extends the closure beyond the original April 5 date to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure City staff can continue to safely deliver essential services to St. Catharines residents. The decision follows the recommendations and guidance of regional, provincial and national public health authorities, and is focused on protecting the health and well-being of the community.

“This is a necessary step as we continue to make every effort to ensure essential City services residents rely on are available,” said Chief Administrative Officer Shelley Chemnitz. “We continue to monitor the situation and will adjust our operations as required to protect the health and safety of our employees, residents and greater community.”

The City continues to list facility closure, service disruptions and cancellations, and other important updates on its website at www.stcatharines.ca/COVID19. Residents can visit the page for updates, and should watch the City’s social media channels.

Residents will continue to see City crews and contractors working on behalf of the City, both conducting essential infrastructure and maintenance work ranging from street cleaning to sewer infrastructure repairs. The City is safeguarding municipal staff by taking a series of measures to limit contact between employees and the public, recognizing the need to provide services that are essential to our community.

In addition to the closure of City facilities, some of these measures include enhancing cleaning and disinfection of municipal facilities, working from home when possible and conducting virtual meetings, self-assessment of staff and physical distancing when feasible.

For more information on COVID-19, including access to online resources from Niagara Region Public Health, visit www.niagararegion.ca/covid19.