Friday, October 16, 2020

New COVID-19 provincial restrictions impact City of Markham

MARKHAM, ON – October 16, 2020 – The Government of Ontario has announced additional health measures for the Regional Municipality of York to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Effective Monday, October 19, 2020 at 12:01AM, modified Stage 2 restrictions will be implemented in the City of Markham and will be in effect for a minimum of 28 days.

York Region will join Ottawa, Peel and Toronto in a modified Stage 2 as a result of its trends in public health indicators, including higher than average rates of COVID-19 transmission. Currently, there are 606 active cases of COVID-19 in York Region and 147 in the City of Markham. Our hospitalizations have steadily increased and overall daily infections are exceeding levels at the peak of the first wave of the novel coronavirus in April and May.

Measures under this modified Stage 2 include:

Reducing limits for all social gatherings and organized public events to a maximum of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors where physical distancing can be maintained. The two limits may not be combined for an indoor-outdoor event;
Prohibiting indoor food and drink service in restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments, including nightclubs and food court areas in malls;
Closing of:
- Indoor gyms and fitness centres (i.e., yoga studios, exercise classes and weight and exercise rooms);
- Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments;
- Indoor cinemas, performing arts centres and venues, (except for rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted performance subject to conditions, including no spectators)
- Spectator areas in racing venues;
- Interactive exhibits or exhibits with high risk of personal contact in museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, etc.;
Prohibiting personal care services where face coverings must be removed for the service (e.g. makeup application, beard trimming);
Prohibiting real estate open houses (permitting in-person showing by appointment only)
Reducing the capacity limits for:
- Tour and guide services to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors
- In-person teaching and instruction (e.g. cooking class) to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, with certain exemptions, including for schools, universities, colleges of applied arts and technology, private career colleges, the Ontario Police College, etc.
- Meeting and event spaces to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors with limited exemptions, including for government operations and the delivery of government services; and
Limiting team sports to training sessions (no games or scrimmages).

Schools, child care centres and places of worship will remain open in these communities and must continue to follow the public health measures in place. Before-school and after-school programs will also continue to be exempt from these new restrictions and will remain open.

As of Monday, October 19, 2020, the City of Markham will be:

Closing Markham Fitness Centre locations that are currently open (including cardio and weight rooms);
Suspending in-person fitness classes; and
Team sports using City facilities will be limited to training and drills, with no scrimmages or competitive play permitted (maximum 25 participants outdoors and 10 indoors – including coaches and players).

Other important information:

Public and lane swimming, as well as swimming lessons, can continue under the recent regulations, but with limited participation numbers and by pre-booking;
No spectators are allowed;
Outdoor basketball courts, baseball diamonds, pitches and football fields remain available for training and practice only and with a maximum attendance of 25 people; and,
Meeting and event rentals are limited to 10 inside and 25 outside.

Visitors to our select facilities and recreational amenities that are open are reminded:

A mask or face covering is required;
Only registered participants and pre-booked pay-per-play participants are allowed (no walk-ins);
Before you visit, please perform a self-assessment for COVID-19;
When you arrive, staff will greet you for a mandatory screening;
Wash your hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer frequently;
Keep a safe distance from others (2m/6ft);
Follow safety and directional signage; and,
Stay home if you feel sick and follow public health protocols.

We hope these health and safety restrictions will reduce the COVID-19 case numbers in Markham and allow affected City programming to resume. In the meantime, residents are encouraged to visit markham.ca/programs to see what outdoor, in-person and virtual programming is available at this time.

The City of Markham understands the social, physical and mental health benefits of staying active and engaged. During COVID-19, the City of Markham will continue to provide a variety of fun, educational, creative and active programs for all ages that are adapted to ensure the health and safety of our participants and staff.

As we continue to navigate the pandemic, the City of Markham continues to monitor and follow advice from public health officials at the federal, provincial and regional levels. The City is taking a responsible and measured approach to reopening, which is guided by the Government of Ontario’s Framework for Reopening the Province and the City of Markham’s Response, Recovery & Reinvention Plan. The health and safety of our visitors, community and staff remains our number one priority.

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in our community, it is important that we each do our part to keep one another safe. It is not the time to let your guard down. Your vulnerable friends and family are counting on you! Don’t put yourself and others at risk. Let’s get back to the basics. Visit markham.ca/CovidSafety to find out how you can continue to do your part to stop the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.

Residents are asked to limit trips outside of the home, not to travel to other regions for fitness or team play and are encouraged to download COVID Alert – Canada’s free exposure notification app.

The City of Markham’s Contact Centre continues to respond to inquiries about municipal services and programs at customerservice@markham.ca and 905.477.5530, Monday to Friday between 8 AM and 5 PM.

For more information and updates about COVID-19 and affected City services, visit markham.ca/covid19.

Businesses who have questions about closures of at-risk workplaces or how emergency measures impact their business or employment can call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659. Help is available from Monday to Sunday from 8:30 AM — 5:00 PM.

Related links:

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Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti's Office:
Bryan Frois, Chief of Staff at bfrois@markham.ca or 416.567.1177.

All other media inquiries / interview requests for the City of Markham:
Jennifer Yap, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations at jyap@markham.ca or 437.229.2450.

For COVID-19 announcements from the City of Markham:

Visit markham.ca/covid19 or listen to 105.9 The Region – Markham’s information and emergency radio station.

About Markham: Markham, an award-winning municipality with more than 350,000 residents and the largest of nine communities in York Region, is home to over 650 headquartered companies and more than 1,500 high tech and life science companies. Markham is a leader in attracting foreign direct investment with more than 234 foreign companies located in the City. Founded in the 1790s, today Markham is Canada’s most diverse community and enjoys a rich heritage, outstanding community planning and services, and a vibrant local economy.

Stay Connected: Visit our newsroom or search #MarkhamNews and #MarkhamEvents for the latest information on City programs, services and events.