Good evening everyone.  A couple of updates from today’s meetings.  During today’s emergency legislative session at Queen’s Park, the Provincial Government introduced legislation to assist municipal governments and local boards during the COVID-19 emergency. This legislation received unanimous consent in the Legislature.

Municipal governments need the ability to ensure councils, council committees and municipal boards can meet virtually to make key decisions without needing to meet physically- given societal necessity for social distancing and isolation.

The Municipal Act, 2001 has been amended to provide that, during municipal or provincial emergencies, members of councils, local boards and committees who participate electronically in open and closed may be counted for the purposes of quorum.

Given the importance of this legislation, we amended our Procedural By-Law at tonight’s Council meeting in order to implement the changes immediately.   In order to participate in tonight’s meeting, all members of Council had to attend.  This amendment will allow members of Council to fully participate in municipal government during the course of COVID-19 remotely if that is their preference.

The Clerk and Mayor will continue to be in Council Chambers – in person, not virtually – and the chambers will be open to the public – albeit limiting the number of spectators.,  No doubt there will be some bugs to work out, but this is a very positive decision by the provincial government.

The second issue to report is we have made the decision to close Town Hall to walk-ins and ask the public to call and make an appointment.  Staff will have other information on the village web site tomorrow.  We had hoped to keep the doors open for the duration of the virus, however we have found that the reasons people are coming into Town Hall can be handled in other ways – ie dropping payments into the drop box, paying on-line, purchasing garbage tags in retail stores.  This decision increases the safety of our staff.  call Town Hall @613-273-2191.

Please maintain physical space between you and others, wash wash wash your hands, stay home if you can and help others who are having challenges self-isolating.

Call anytime – 273-9195