COVID-19 Response: Mayor's Message, February 12, 2021

Community members should stay vigilant despite reopening

With provincial lockdown measures slated to end early next week, Town of Essex Mayor Larry Snively is reminding all residents to continue to be vigilant to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

“Our residents have done a great job staying home and limiting their close contacts, and we’ve seen our local case count drop dramatically, but we’re not out of the woods yet,” Mayor Snively said. “Residents must continue to follow public health recommendations set out by the Province and Windsor-Essex County Public Health Unit.”

On Tuesday, February 16, the Government of Ontario will end the province-wide stay-at-home order and return public health regions into the colour-coded stages which dictate local infection prevention control measures. With current case counts, the Windsor-Essex region will return to Red-Control measures.

Mayor Snively noted the Town’s successful efforts to push the Government of Ontario to provide more fairness to small businesses. Council hosted a Special Meeting on January 18 to hear from local small business owners about their struggles throughout the pandemic. The meeting included local business owners, as well as Chris Lewis, Essex Member of Parliament, Taras Natyshak, Essex Member of Provincial Parliament, and local Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed. Council resolved to send a letter to both levels of government calling for a more equitable approach to regulating small businesses. Shortly after, the Province announced that most small retail stores, even those in locked down regions, would be able to reopen at reduced capacity.

“Treating our small businesses fairly was a priority for Council and we knew they could re-open their doors in a safe way,” Mayor Snively said. “I’d like to thank my fellow Council members, the small business owners who shared their stories, and all of our residents who have continued to support small businesses in our community throughout this difficult time.”

The Municipal Office in Essex Centre and Building/By-law Enforcement Office in Gesto will continue to remain closed except for essential visits made by appointment. The Town also plans to re-open indoor recreation facilities and in-person programs where possible. Residents can access a number of online service options at www.essex.ca/OnlineServices. To report problems with local parks, roadways, and other municipal infrastructure, please visit www.essex.ca/ReportAProblem.

As of February 10, all residential construction projects and related construction activities and services including residential are allowed to commence and continue. Once the region is returned to the Red-Control level, there will be no restrictions on construction activities.

For guidance on what individuals can do to reduce their risk of contracting the virus, or what to do if they display symptoms, please visit the Ontario Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 resource page. To find the current COVID-19 restrictions, please visit WECHU’s Local Pandemic Status page.