COVID-19 Information

April 17, 2020 - Grey Highlands COVID-19 Update - Edition 3 - All you need to know in one document. Read it here.

April 6, 2020 - Grey Highlands COVID-19 Update - Edition 2 - All you need to know in one document. Highlighted items show changes since last edition including Virtual Town Hall scheduled for April 20, 2020 and new cemetery guidelines. Read the full document here.

March 30, 2020 - Grey Highlands COVID-19 Update - Edition 1 - All you need to know in one document. Read it here. 

March 26, 2020 - Mayor McQueen declares a state of emergency in Grey Highlands. “Grey Highlands is one of the strongest and most resilient communities I know, and I feel honoured to live in this wonderful place,” said Mayor McQueen. “I call on all of you to do your part, self-isolate, practice physical distancing and be there for one another, and I will do my best to help keep all of you safe as well.”

Read the full media release here. 

March 23, 2020 - Mayor's Address regarding COVID-19

March 17, 2020 - Grey Highlands Comprehensive departmental overview of cancellations, updates and services provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as of March 17, 2020. The full document can be found by accessing the following link: https://greyhighlands.civicweb.net/document/221005 

You can now watch all of our Council meetings while they happen from the comfort of your home.  Visit the Live Stream page to view the last meeting and visit the portal for the meeting calendar.  

April 20, 2020 - Virtual Town Hall meeting where Mayor Paul McQueen, CAO Karen Govan and Medical Office of Health Dr. Ian Arra answered your questions related to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Grey Highlands. View on YouTube 

March 25, 2020 - Council and Committee of the Whole will continue to meet virtually. All other advisory committees and working groups are on hold. 

March 24, 2020 - Due to the passage of Bill 187, Council is able to resume Council meetings electronically. Grey Highlands Council will be holding a Special Meeting on March 25, 2020 at 10 am to amend the procedure by-law in order to implement the legislation during a declared state of emergency. Council will then meet at 1 pm to continue on with the business of the organization. Both of these meetings will be live streamed to the Grey Highlands YouTube channel. Links are provided below. 

2020-03-25 - 10:00 am - Virtual Special Council Meeting Agenda

2020-03-25 - 1:00 pm - Virtual Council Meeting Agenda

Grey Highlands YouTube Channel

March 17, 2020 - All Council and Committee Meetings Cancelled - All Council and Committee meetings have been cancelled effective immediately until further notice to ensure the health and safety of our staff, Councillors and members of the public. 

May 4, 2020 - Eugenia Boat Launch Remains Closed - On May 1, 2020, the provincial government announced that they will be allowing certain businesses and workplaces to reopen if they comply with strict public health measures and included: "Marinas may also begin preparations for the recreational boating season by servicing boats and other watercraft and placing boats in the water, but not open to the public. Boats and watercraft must be secured to a dock in the marina until public access is allowed.”

At the May 4, 2020 Municipal Emergency Control Group (MECG) meeting, it was noted that the Eugenia Boat Launch is not a marina and would not qualify to reopen for preparations under this announcement. The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre also had discussions around boat launches and the following information was supplied: “If a boat launch is part of a marina, then it may be open only to the extent that it is necessary to enable individuals to access their primary place of residence. If a boat launch is part of a business that is not permitted to operate as an essential business, then that boat launch must be closed.”

The Eugenia Boat Launch is used for recreational purposes and is part of the recreational amenity of Eugenia Beach. The boat launch serves only recreational purpose and is not deemed required for essential travel means. As recreational amenities remain closed at the present time, the boat launch will remain closed until further notice.

April 1, 2020 - Garbage bag tags now available to purchase online during this time and wil be mailed out to your residence. Bag tags are also available at Foodland if you are out to get your essentials. Visit our e-services page to order yours.

March 26, 2020 - Payments and Funding resolutions passed - Council met on March 25, 2020 and passed the following resolutions in relation to COVID-19 situation:

• That the charging of penalty and interest on the first of the month be waived for April, May, June, and July for all payments including Taxes and Water.
• That Council approves a $5000 fund to assist community service providers in the short term to come from the Community Grant Program for local food banks 

March 17, 2020 - Tender Submissions and Public Opening - Due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, the Municipality of Grey Highlands is taking proactive measures to limit the transmission of the virus and are monitoring the situation closely. The Municipality has closed all offices, facilities, and non-essential services beginning March 16, 2020 until further notice. The Municipality will accept tender submissions in the drop box at the Municipal office at 206 Toronto Street South, Unit 1, Markdale, ON. If your tender is being delivered by Courier, please instruct them to leave the envelope or parcel in the drop box. The drop box will be emptied on March 18, 2020 at 9:01 a.m. and no tenders will be accepted after this point.

The tender openings will be available to the public by live stream at the following address: https://www.greyhighlands.ca/en/municipal-government/live-stream.aspx

The unofficial tender opening results will be posted to the website within 24 hours of the tender opening: https://greyhighlands.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/217164. We thank you for your patience and understanding. 

March 19, 2020 -  Due to COVID-19, many municipal staff are working remotely or from home.  Staff will be checking voicemail on a regular basis and returning calls. Please use the Staff Directory for contacts and leave voice messages or send an email. Staff are working and will provide the best service possible during this time.  For general inquiries email info@greyhighlands.ca.

March 17, 2020 - Grey Highlands 2020 Home Show, originally scheduled for April 18th, 2020 has been cancelled. Municipal staff will be in touch with all vendors and suppliers to notify them of the cancellation and will make arrangements to issue refunds for any payments that have been received to date. 

March 16, 2020 - Facility Closures - To maintain social distancing and minimize the spread of this virus ALL Municipality of Grey Highlands facilities including the Administration Offices will be CLOSED to the public until further notice.

All current Municipal facility rentals have been CANCELLED.  Staff will be contacting the person(s) who have rented the facility during the affected time. 

The following facilities are CLOSED to the public:

- Municipal Administration Offices (206 Toronto Street and 50 Lorne Street Markdale)

- All Arenas, Facilities, and Halls

- All Grey Highlands Public Libraries

- South Grey Museum

Account payments can be made to the Municipality through online or mobile banking or by credit card. There is a drop box at the Municipal Office (206 Toronto Street South Markdale) to leave payments. At the present time, we will not be imposing penalties on any payments that come due during the office closure.

There will be no interruption to essential services related to roads, water/wastewater, or waste/recycling services.

For any emergencies related to roads please contact 519-986-4069.

For emergencies related to water/wastewater please contact 519-986-4784.

For any fire related emergencies, please call 911.

March 14, 2020 - Recreation Closures - All recreational programs and public bookings at Municipal facilities are cancelled effective immediately. Refunds will be issued to those affected.

March 14, 2020 - Library March break programs are cancelled. See the Library website for more information.

May 4, 2020 - Considerations for Seasonal Residents and Visitors - Public recommends limiting non-essential travel within and outside of Grey Bruce. If you are already at your seasonal residence, please stay there and do not regularly travel back and forth. Do not invite friends and family over. Follow measures to stop the spread. The following considerations may be helpful for seasonal residents and visitors who are considering relocating to or visiting Grey or Bruce Counties. For most people, staying at your primary residence will be the safest decision. 

Consider the availability of supplies and essentials.
 Consider bringing supplies with you for several weeks so that you will not need to make any stops.
 Grocery stores in rural areas may have limited supplies and capacity.
 Many stores and restaurants may be closed or have limited hours.
 Options for take-out food may be limited or not available.
 Delivery or curbside pick-up services for groceries or food may be unavailable.

Consider the availability of services.
 Many services to help you open your cottage for the season may not be available. These services may not be available should any issues arise if you choose to open your seasonal residence yourself.

Understand the current restrictions and lack of recreational amenities.
 Ontario Provincial Parks, picnic areas, and National Parks are closed.
 Many hiking trails are closed.
 Most beaches, boat launches and municipal recreation facilities are completely closed.
 Parks, trails, beaches and conservation areas that are not closed remain open for walk through access only.

April 15, 2020 - More testing available - Grey Bruce Health Unit expands eligibility criteria for COVID-19 testing making testing a priority for older adults, vulnerable and high-risk populations. For the general public, testing is available for those:

• Who have the following medical conditions, and any new or worsening respiratory symptoms:
  • Heart disease
  • Lung disease
  • Kidney disease
  • Diabetes
  • Immunocompromised, including HIV, autoimmune diseases, and those taking immunomodulating medications
  • Transplant recipients or donors
  • Those who are on dialysis
  • Those who have cancer
• Living in communal or shared settings such as shelters, group homes, etc., and who have any new or worsening respiratory symptoms
• First responders (paramedics, fire and police) with any new or worsening respiratory symptoms
• Healthcare workers with any new or worsening respiratory symptoms, regardless of work setting
  • This includes home care workers or others caregivers who go into the home
  • This includes staff and volunteers in hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes who do not have direct contact with residents

Assessment Centre is located at:

Grey Bruce Health Services – Owen Sound Regional Hospital

Location:  Portable facility just outside the entrance to the Owen Sound Hospital Emergency Department

Hours of Operation: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM, 7 days per week

For more information, visit the Grey Bruce Health website. 

*As of April 14, 2020, there have been 3 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Grey Highlands. 

March 31, 2020 - Ontario Extends School and Child Care Closures to Fight Spread of COVID-19. Province announces second phase of Learn at Home to support continuity of learning. Read the news release here. 

March 31, 2020 - All outdoor recreational amenities in Ontario now CLOSED. The Ontario government has ordered the closure of all communal or shared, public or private, outdoor recreational amenities across Ontario in order to help stem the transmission of COVID-19. The order was issued under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act Monday evening and is effective immediately. Read the provincial newsrelease here. 

 Library Programs

Additional Information - Organization Links

• Grey Bruce Public Health Unit: https://www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca/
• Public Health Agency of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html
• Ontario Ministry of Health: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/
• World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/
• Ontario 211 - https://www.211oncovid19.ca/

How to Protect Yourself

Everyone should practice good basic hygiene as a preventative measure to protect against the novel coronavirus and other viruses in this cold and flu season.

• wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• sneeze and cough into your sleeve
• avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
• avoid contact with people who are sick
• clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
• stay home as much as possible
• Wear a mask when out for essentials

Status of Cases in Ontario

https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus#section-0

Status of Cases in Grey-Bruce

https://www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca/

 How to access help during COVID-19

211 Ontario can help you find support during COVID-19

211 Ontario is your primary source of information on government and community-based social services.

Things are changing quickly during this unusual time, but our team is committed to providing accurate and up-to-date information to Ontarians about responses to the novel coronavirus.

Programs and services to help you through this pandemic

• Do you feel overwhelmed or anxious about COVID-19? Do you want information on mental health services to manage those feelings?

• Are you experiencing financial pressure because of self-isolation measures?

• Do you have questions about applying for Employment Insurance?

• Do you need help getting groceries or running errands while you are at home sick or self-isolating?

Live Chat is available Monday to Friday from 7am to 9pm here.

Try the Search Help Tool on our website at 211ontario.ca.

And Community Navigators are ready to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in 150 languages. Just dial 2-1-1.

 What's Open?

A map of businesses that remain open in Grey County, including those that offer home delivery or pickup, and those that have moved to online platforms.

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