Mayor Dan Carter today declared a local state of emergency for the City of Oshawa in response to health authorities indicating that the next 14 days are crucial to slowing the spread of COVID-19.
With the statutory holiday weekend upon us, it is critical that we follow government orders to not gather in groups of more than five people and health authority guidelines to stay home as much as possible and keep a physical distance of 6 feet (2 metres) from others. Everyone has a role to play.
“It is devastating to hear reports from police and municipal by-law officers that community members are ignoring the Ontario Government’s order not to gather in groups of more than five people. Declaring a state of emergency for Oshawa serves as a really clear signal that people need to stay home. We have taken proactive measures and closed our facilities and outdoor amenities and we’re relying on everyone in our community to do their part.”
“Every effort must be made by each of us to protect our families, friends and the community – only go outside for essential trips, avoid close contact and maintain physical distancing, don’t gather in groups, and continue to follow recommendations of provincial health officials,” said Fire Chief Derrick Clark, Oshawa’s Community Emergency Management Coordinator.
On Friday, March 13, the City of Oshawa activated its Emergency Plan and City Council delegated authority to the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer for use in emergencies. These measures provide the City the ability to make key decisions to maintain business continuity to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. The City has established key objectives and protocols to keep critical services operating and providing service to the community and we continue to focus on business continuity and maintaining critical functions and services.
The City continues to work with Durham Regional Police Services on enforcement. Under the Ontario Government’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, failure to comply with an emergency order could carry punishments of up to one-year imprisonment or a fine of up to $100,000 for an individual.
Community members can report a gathering of more than five people or a non-compliant business on www.drps.ca under Online Services - Community Concerns or call the DRPS non-emergency line at 1-888-579-1520, ext. 5802 and leave a message.
The City continues to post updates to its Coronavirus webpage. For a list of closures, changes to services, more information and F.A.Q.s, visit www.Oshawa.ca/Coronavirus.
Community members concerned about their health are asked to use the Ontario COVID-19 self-assessment tool to determine if they need to seek care or refer to Lakeridge Health’s COVID-19 Assessment Clinic.
