All posts by robinthemayor

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Ontario Supports Small Main Street Businesses with $60 Million in Funding through PPE Grant

DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!
Province of Ontario is helping small businesses with the unexpected costs of PPE. The grant application is now live, apply here.

Eligibility
To be eligible, your business must have two to nine employees and be in one of the following sectors: retail, accommodation and food services, repair and maintenance, personal and laundry services

What you’ll get
Eligible small businesses will get one-time grants of up to $1,000.

What you’ll need to apply
You will need to submit receipts or proof of costs for PPE purchased since March 17, 2020. This includes:gloves, gowns, face shields, eye protection, masks, sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, thermometers, temperature monitors or cameras, physical changes, including the installation of hand sanitizer stations and plexiglass dividers, signs to guide or inform customers and employees
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Ontario Updating COVID-19 Response Framework to Help Stop the Spread of COVID-19

NEWS RELEASE

Modelling Shows New Thresholds Needed to Bend the Curve and Keep People Safe 

November 13, 2020

Office of the Premier

TORONTO — In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Public Health Measures Table, the Ontario government is taking immediate action to respond to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and is updating the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework, by lowering the thresholds for each level in the framework. These necessary updates will help limit the spread of COVID-19 while keeping schools open, maintaining health system capacity, protecting the province’s most vulnerable, and avoiding broader lockdowns.

Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health.

“Our number one priority right now is getting the numbers down and keeping people safe. That’s why, on the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, we’re updating the framework with new thresholds so we can slow the spread of this virus,” said Premier Ford. “These adjustments are necessary to respond to the latest evidence we’re seeing and we are prepared to make further adjustments as the health experts continue to review the current public health restrictions. We must do whatever it takes to stop our hospitals from being overwhelmed and protect our most vulnerable.”

The latest modelling shows that if the number of new cases continues to grow at its current rate, the province could register up to 6,500 new cases per day by mid-December. Within the next two weeks the province will likely exceed its intensive care threshold of 150 beds, under any potential scenario.

The framework changes are in response to the current data and trends, and will lower the threshold for each of the five levels for: weekly incidence rates, positivity rate, effective reproductive number (Rt), outbreak trends and the level of community transmission. Based on these new thresholds, the following public health unit regions would be moved to the following levels in the framework:

  • Red-Control:
    • Hamilton Public Health Services
    • Halton Region Public Health
    • Toronto Public Health
    • York Region Public Health
  • Orange-Restrict:
    • Brant County Health Unit
    • Durham Region Health Department
    • Eastern Ontario Health Unit
    • Niagara Region Public Health
    • Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
    • Region of Waterloo Public Health
  • Yellow-Protect:
    • Huron Perth Public Health
    • Middlesex-London Health Unit
    • Public Health Sudbury & Districts
    • Southwestern Public Health
    • Windsor-Essex County Health Unit

Mayor’s comment:

The 4th level in the threshold is Green – Prevent. The statistics for Leeds, Grenville & Lanark Health Unit place it in this level. You will note that much of Ontario to our east is in the Orange – Restrict level. This should be considered when you are considering travel and extra precautions should be taken if visiting with residents from those areas.

We know how to prevent community transmission of COVID-19 in our Village. Please continue to practice the public health routines that have worked for us since March. Thank you for your continued efforts.

Call anytime,

Robin Jones

613-273-9195

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REMEMBRANCE DAY 2020

There will be no ceremony at our Cenotaph in Lockwood Park this morning due to COVID-19. Although unfortunate, this is the right decision by the Legion as the majority of people who attend the service are over 65 years of age.

Legions have suggested that at 11:00, you stand in remembrance at the end of your driveway. The church bell from St Paul’s will be ringing for the two minutes. (I can‘t confirm whether St Ed’s bell will be participating.)

Yes, this is another change in our lives due to COVID-19. However, the most important part of Remembrance Day is to remember those who have paid the ultimate price in defence of Canada. It is also the opportunity to stand behind the men and women who continue to serve in our military.

Terry Kelly wrote these lovely lyrics for a song that the Westport Ecumenical choir has sung the past few years at Lockwood Park during the Remembrance Day ceremony.


They fought and some died for their homeland
They fought and some died, now it’s our land
Look at his little child; there’s no fear in her eyes
Could he not show respect for other dads who have died?


Take two minutes, would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who went over
In peace may they rest, may we never forget
Why they died
It’s a pittance of time


God forgive me for wanting to strike him
Give me strength so as not to be like him
My heart pounds in my breast, fingers pressed to my lips
My throat wants to bawl out, my tongue barely resists


But two minutes I will bide
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who went over
In peace may they rest
May we never forget
Why they died
It’s a pittance of time

Please take 2 minutes in time at 11:00 today. It’s a pittance in time.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

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Christmas gift of light – call for street captains

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. ”    Albert Schweitzer

The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Ontario continues to rise and it looks like Christmas will be very low key.

We can do something in Westport that will make a difference in the lives of our residents, business owners and visitors. We can give the Gift of Light this Christmas to our neighbours.

From Dec 12 – Jan 2, let’s encourage everyone to light up the streets by adding a light or two or three to their homes and businesses.  It doesn’t have to be a string of lights, it can be a spot light shining on the front door or tree, inside lights on the windows, a coloured light on the front porch.  Think of how the Village will look, how it will feel.

The Village is going to engage “street captains” again, as we did for the July 1st celebrations.  These volunteers will encourage 3 of their neighbours who did not put up lights last year, to add something bright this year.  If only 3 more houses on every street give the gift of light, it will make a big difference. If you are interested in being involved as a “street captain”, pls send me an email rjones@villageofwestport.ca. and indicate your street. We will have a virtual meeting in the next couple of weeks to plan our strategy.

Light symbolizes many things – but regardless of religion or culture, it means hope.  By giving the gift of light this year, you show you care and that you offer hope with others. 

Be the Spark!  Give the Gift of Light this Christmas.

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SAVE THE DATES!

On July 7, Council of the Village of Westport passed by-law 2020-35 to establish guidelines for the Village of Westport to address matters of discrimination and to identify strategies and actions to combat discrimination and harassment. 

Council further resolved to:

  1. acknowledge that racism, discrimination and harassment exist.
  2. commit to using equity, diversity and inclusive lenses on all future decisions.
  3. provide education to inform Council and Staff about implicit and explicit bias.
  4. direct staff to review all existing Westport public policies for systemic barriers to accessing government programs and services. 
  5. raise awareness and assist in community collaboration to identify strategies and actions to combat racism, discrimination and harassment.
  6. direct that the Corporate Strategic Plan be amended to include the goals of this by-law as described in items 1 through 5 above.

A Task Force will be appointed by Council to identify strategies and actions to combat discrimination and harassment.  A Task Force is a Committee of Council with a specific purpose and time limit.

Before the Task Force work can begin, three workshops will be held (virtually) to provide participants with a common understanding of some of the issues.  The workshops will be live streamed on the VILLAGE OF WESTPORT YOUTUBE channel .  People who wish to be considered for membership on the Task Force should attend the workshops.

Workshops:

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 @ 7:00 p.m.

The Legal Framework of Discrimination and Harassment in Canada, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian and Ontario Human Rights Codes.  

PRESENTER: Senator Gwen Boniface, COM, joined the Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) in 1977 as a Provincial Constable before being called to the bar in 1990.  She served in the Law Commission of Canada from 1997 to 2002. Gwen was appointed as the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) from 1998 – 2006.  She was the first female President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, and the first Canadian to hold the Chair of the Division of State and Provincial Police of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).  

In October 2006, Senator Boniface retired from the OPP and was selected to serve as the Deputy Chief-Inspector of the Garda Inspectorate, an organization established to reform and modernize Ireland’s national police service. From 2010 to 2012, she was the Transnational Crime Expert for the United Nations Police Division. In 2014, Gwen accepted the position of Deputy Executive Director with IACP.  Prime Minister Trudeau appointed Gwen to the Senate of Canada  on October 31, 2016, where she sits as an independent.

Wednesday, January 27, 2021 @ 7:00 p.m.

Implicit & Explicit Bias: what are they and how do they effect our behaviour?  

PRESENTER: Ms Anna Laszlo MA is a Managing Partner and the National Training Director of Fair & Impartial Policing (FIP), LLC. With Dr. Lorie Fridell, she co-authored the Fair & Impartial Policing Training Programs. She directs new product development, such as FIP training curricula for law enforcement and civilian agency personnel, community leaders/members, and other criminal justice system audiences such as judges, probation officers, prosecutors and defense counsel. She continues to train the FIP curriculum throughout the U.S. and Canada. Ms. Laszlo oversees the recruitment, screening and monitoring of new FIP national instructors and manages FIP’s licensing agreements (with agencies) and contractor agreements (with instructors). She brings over 36 years’ experience designing and delivering national criminal justice and law enforcement training funded by Federal, state and local agencies.

She is extensively published in academic and professional journals, addressing criminal justice and police reform topics. Her article, addressing the development of the Fair & Impartial Policing Training Program, appears in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Journal—Special Issue: Policing Diverse Communities. Her work with Fair & Impartial Policing was highlighted by the Harvard Business Review (www.HBR.org) and she has been a featured speaker at MIT’s Sloan School of Management annual conference addressing implicit bias. She has been an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Buffalo State College, Boston College, and Seattle University.

In addition to her work with FIP, LLC, Ms. Laszlo’s consulting practice, which focuses on curriculum design and training implementation, includes such clients as the International Association of Chiefs of Police (Alexandria, VA), Phoenix House, Inc. (New York), Strategy Matters, Inc. (Boston), Polis-Solutions, Inc. (Seattle) and Cambridge University (London). Her domestic portfolio focuses on leadership training for women; her international portfolio includes working with the Indian, Moroccan, Haitian, Tunisian, Brazilian, Egyptian and Indian National Police Services to implement innovative police reform projects.

Ms. Laszlo and her husband, R. Gil Kerlikowske are based in Charleston (SC) and Martha’s Vineyard (MA).

Wednesday, February 24, 2021 @ 7:00 p.m.

Health Equity: is created when individuals have the fair opportunity to reach their fullest health potential.  Achieving health equity requires reducing unnecessary and avoidable differences that are unfair and unjust.  Many causes of health inequities relate to social and environment factors including: poverty, race and gender.

PRESENTER: Tanis Brown is a Registered Nurse in professional practice since May 2000.   She is a graduate from the Queen’s University Nursing Science and Athabasca University, Master of Nursing (teaching focus) program.  As a member of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, Tanis was the recipient of the 2016 President’s Award for Clinical Practice for demonstrating excellence in nursing leadership, and was recently featured in Registered Nurse Journal on inspired leadership.  Tanis has had the opportunity to practice nursing across multiple health care sectors. The diversity of professional practice from long-term care, acute care in maternal/newborn services, public health and nursing education has evolved and deepened her understanding of the social determinants of health and strengthens her work in her current role as the Health Equity Coordinator, at the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit.