Town of St. Marys provides update on COVID-19 response

Municipal offices, recreation and leisure facilities, and child care centre closed

In an effort to promote social distancing and help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Town of St. Marys has indefinitely closed its municipal offices, located at Town Hall and the Municipal Operations Centre.

This action follows the closure of a number of other municipal recreation and leisure facilities, as well as the St. Marys Child Care Centre. All programs, bookings and events at each of these facilities are cancelled. Refunds are being provided, where applicable.

The St. Marys VIA Rail Station and St. Marys Station Gallery are also closed, and VIA Rail service may be reduced or cancelled. Visit VIA Rail's website regularly for the latest travel advisories: www.viarail.ca

As of Friday, March 20, 2020, the following operational changes will be in place at the St. Marys Landfill:

• Closed entirely to general public
• Open for regular weekday hours to commercial haulers and contractors that have a charge account; closed entirely on Saturdays
• Weigh tickets will be mailed or emailed to account holders; cash, debit or cheque will not be accepted

In the event of a residential waste emergency, those without a commercial account can contact the Public Works Department at 519-284-2340, ext. 213 or publicworks@town.stmarys.on.ca and arrangements will be made. 

Council to continue meeting; committee meetings cancelled

Town Council meetings and some other public meetings will proceed as planned, but all non-essential committee meetings are cancelled indefinitely. All meetings will be held in Town Hall Council Chambers; attendees will be screened upon arrival and asked to sanitize their hands. Steps will also be taken to accomplish social distancing.

Due to the unprecedented nature of this situation, Council’s meeting schedule is subject to change. An up-to-date Council meeting schedule is available at www.townofstmarys.com.

Emergency services, landfill and Mobility Services remain operational

All emergency services remain in place and are prepared to respond to calls. The St. Marys Fire Department, Stratford Police Service and Perth County Paramedics are all taking measures to protect their employees and the public. Details about these measures are available at www.townofstmarys.com/covid19.

St. Marys and Area Mobility Services is still offering transportation to its clients, with priority given to those requiring rides to and from medical appointments. Trips for basic necessities will be provided when possible. As an additional safety measure, volunteer transportation has been suspended; all rides will be scheduled with a staff driver, in an agency vehicle. Clients will also be screened before booking trips and riders are asked to leave the front seat of the vehicle vacant to allow for social distancing.

Municipal staff available to assist

Municipal staff will remain in Town facilities throughout these closures and will continue to provide service to the public, where possible. General inquiries should be directed to the Town’s main switchboard line at 519-284-2340.

A list of all closures, available and unavailable services and contact information for Town facilities and departments is provided online at www.townofstmarys.com/covid19.

Updates will be provided as situation progresses

The Town continues to monitor this evolving situation and is following the recommendations of Huron Perth Public Health. We will provide updates as soon as they become available through the Town website (www.townofstmarys.com/covid19) and social media (facebook.com/stmarysontario and twitter.com/townofstmarys).

For tips on how to prevent the spread of illness and regular updates on COVID-19, visit Huron Perth Public Health’s website: www.hpph.ca/coronavirus.

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Contact

Brett O’Reilly | Corporate Communications & Events Manager
519-284-2340, ext. 432 or 519-272-4376 | boreilly@town.stmarys.on.ca