COVID-19

As of January 14th 2021, the Province of Ontario has declared a State of Emergency and has issued a "Stay at Home" Order. See the details from the Province.

Below is a list of COVID-19 topics that you should be aware of:

Provincial Stay at Home Order 12:01 am Jan 14 to Feb 11 12:01 am

Here are details from the Province on the Stay At Home Order.

Town Facility Access

Town Hall - Closed to the public. As of Thursday Jan 14, 2021. Call 613-267-3311 or email at contactus@perth.ca .

Perth and District Indoor Pool - Closed

Perth and District Community Centre

Perth Museum - Closed

Tourism Information Centre - Closed

The Perth and District Union Library is closed, but will be offering curbside pickup.

The following outdoor recreation facilities will remain OPEN for public use:

Conlon Farm including Toboggan Hill
Last Duel Park
Stewart Park
Skating Rink in Stewart Park
Skating Rink at Fire Hall
Darou Farm walking trail

Social Distancing guidelines must be followed when using these facilities, unless you are part of the same household. For additional information see this set of Q and A from the Health Unit.

Provincial Offences Courts

All Provincial Offences courtroom trials and in-person hearings have been postponed until after January 22, 2021. Please do not attend the courthouse. Defendants will be sent notification of new dates by regular mail. If you have questions or need to update your address, please call 613-326-3122. Payments: Currently accepting online payments @ www.payfines.ca mail-in payments to 80 Gore St. E. payable to the Town of Perth, telephone payments by visa or mastercard 613-267-3311 press 9, No in-person payments available due to current Town Hall closure to the public.

Event Cancellations

Stewart Park Festival, Ribfest, the Kilt Run, Garlic Festival and the Perth Fair have been cancelled

See our Event Calendar for other event cancellations that we are aware of.

How to Report to the OPP

If you need to report a problem to the OPP, please use their online tool .

Business Support Information

Local Support

Town of Perth is providing free parking on the streets and in the parking lots until the end of 2020. A 4 hour time limit will be enforced on the streets.
Town of Perth provides relief of penalties on water and property taxes.
Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation Support

Regional Relief and Recovery Fund

The Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) provides financial contributions (interest-free loans) to help support fixed operating costs of SMEs, where business revenues have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to provide targeted assistance to the small towns and communities they serve, CFDCs will focus on assisting “main street” businesses, such as retail shops, restaurants, corner stores, and businesses of strategic importance to their communities, with loans up to $40,000 (with 25% being forgivable). Businesses in Lanark County and North Leeds may apply through Valley Heartland.

For more information see the following link:

https://www.valleycfdc.com/rrrf

Lanark County OPP Tips for Businesses Closing

Provincial Government Support

Ontario Small Business Support Grant - announced 21 Dec, 2020

The government is announcing the new Ontario Small Business Support Grant, which will provide a minimum of $10,000 and up to $20,000 to help small business owners during this challenging period.

Updated on October 14th at 4:30 pm

Ontario announces a list of essential businesses to remain open during COVID-19 pandemic. Business Information Line Now Open at 1-888-444-3659 for businesses who have questions about the provincial order to close non-essential workplaces.

The table below will continue to be updated in the coming days as more details on above announced programs become available and additional programs are revealed. Many of the above programs are anticipated to be in full operation by April.

The province of Ontario has now consolidated all of it's support information and announcements at the following webpage:

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/small-business-recovery-resources

Federal Government Support

Updated on October 14th 2020 at 4:30 pm

The table below will continue to be updated in the coming days as more details on above announced programs become available and additional programs are revealed.

Program	Value	Details
COVID 19 Research and Medical Countermeasures	$275 million	Funding to advance programs already underway at institutions developing potential vaccines. Nearly $200 million in this program will be allocated to major companies to help them develop COVID 19 countermeasures.
Lending for agribusinesses, producers, and food processors	$5 billion	Farm Credit Canada will receive support from the federal government Increased flexibility to farmers and processors who face cashflow issues and are impacted by lost sales.
COVID 19 Economic Aid Package	$82 billion	$27 billion in direct support to workers and businesses. $55 billion to meet liquidity needs of Canadian businesses (the following programs relate to this)
Deferral of Income Tax	NA	Allows businesses to defer until after August 31^st, 2020 the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing after March 18^th and before September 2020. Individual Tax Returns filing date has been extended to June 1^st, 2020. No interest or penalties will accumulate for this income.
Small businesses 75% wage subsidy (CEWS)	NA	A subsidy equal to 75% of remuneration paid back dated to March 15th 2020. Applies to all businesses that can demonstrate a minimum of 30% decline in revenue as a result of the pandemic. Applicable for businesses who have a minimum $50,000 payroll. Businesses will be able to benefit immediately from this support by reducing their remittances of income tax withheld on their employees’ remuneration.
Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP)	$10 billion	The government will establish a credit facility to lend money to businesses under stress as a result of the spreading COVID-19 pandemic. The program will support financing through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC). BDC link: https://www.bdc.ca/en/pages/special-support.aspx?specialinitiative=covid19 EDC link: https://www.edc.ca/en/campaign/coronavirus-covid-19.html
Changes to the Employment Insurance sickness benefits	NA	Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits provide up to 15 weeks of income replacement and is available to eligible claimants who are unable to work because of illness, injury or quarantine, to allow them time to restore their health and return to work.
Canada Account Limit	NA	The government is changing the Canada Account so that the Minister of Finance would now be able to determine the limit of the Canada Account in order to deal with exceptional circumstances. The Canada Account is administered by Export Development Canada (EDC) and is used by the government to support exporters when deemed to be in the national interest.
Insured Mortgage Purchase Program	Up to $50 billion	Launch of an Insured Mortgage Purchase Program to purchase up to $50 billion of insured mortgage pools through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). This will provide stable funding to banks and mortgage lenders and support continued lending to Canadian businesses and consumers.
COVID-19 Supplier Purchasing Program	NA	In support of the Governments whole-of-government response to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Government is seeking to procure additional goods from suppliers If you are a supplier which can provide items from the list, or other items not listed, please complete the submission form for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) products and services.
National Research Council of Canada (NRC) - COVID-19 Challenge Program	NA	The COVID-19 Challenge Program is composed of teams of government, academic, and private sector partners, seeking to address a range of medium-term needs of the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada. These medium-term needs include personal protective equipment, sanitization products, diagnostic and testing products, therapeutics, and disease tracking technology. The most promising solutions will be selected for procurement, working with Innovative Solutions Canada.
Additional Support for Businesses	Up to $800 billion	The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) announced it is lowering the Domestic Stability Buffer by 1.25% of risk-weighted assets, effective immediately. This action will allow Canada’s large banks to inject $300 billion of additional lending into the economy. Credit and liquidity support through financial Crown corporations, Bank of Canada, OSFI, CMHC and commercial lenders (e.g., Domestic Stability Buffer, Insured Mortgage Purchase Program, Banker’s Acceptance Purchase Facility) in the range of $500 Billion
Canada Emergency Business Account	N/A	Loans of up to $40,000 to small and medium-sized businesses that will be interest-free for one year. $10,000 of the loan will be forgivable.
Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA)	N/A	This program will lower rent by 75 per cent for small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19. It is expected that CECRA will be operational by mid-May, and further details will be announced soon.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce

COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness for Business

Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit for Ontario Business

Re-Opening Information

This from the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Health Unit, describes what businesses should consider before re-opening.

Perth & District Union Library

The Perth and District Union Library is closed from from Dec 26 to Jan 23, but will be offering curbside pickup.

Other Support Services

Several Lanark County Agencies have launched an Isolation Centre in Perth for those who have tested positive for Covid-19 and need a place to quarantine. If you are in this situation, call the Lanark County Interval House crisis line (613-257-5960 or 1-800-267-7946 or TTY: 613-257-1952) to be assessed.

The Province of Ontario has provided relief funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With its allocation, Lanark County has set up an emergency rent/mortgage bank to assist County residents who are behind in their rent/mortgage and are at risk of being evicted or losing their home. Information and Application Form Found Here

Family and Community Support Services

Volunteer Groups Ready to Help

There are several local "caremongering" groups that have started up to help people in our community who are in need. Thanks to all the volunteers who are making these groups work!

Mutual-Aid Perth

New Trail at Darou Farm

To provide another option for residents to walk during the COVID-19 crisis, the Town has created a walking trail at the Darou Farm at 2845 Rideau Ferry Road. Here is an overhead view of the North Loop and the South Loop.

Garbage and Recycling Collection

There are no changes to the Garbage and Recycling collection schedule

If you need to pickup your garbage tags up while Town Hall is closed to the public, please call 613-267-3311 ext. 2221 or email reception@perth.ca

Landfill Operations

The Perth Landfill is operating at regular hours.

Payments Owing to the Town

PROPERTY TAX & UTILITY PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Mail: Cheque’s payable to the Town of Perth

Town of Perth
80 Gore St E
Perth, ON K7H 1H9

Drop box: Drop a payment in the mail slot, located at the front door of Town Hall.

Online: Please follow the online instructions to set up payment of your utility or tax bill by telephone or online banking here:

Bank: Taxes can be paid at most Financial Institutions, when presenting your original Tax Bill.

OTHER PAYMENTS

Most other payments can be paid over the phone with a credit card. Call 613-267-3311 Ext 2278

For any questions or concerns please call 613-267-3311 or email contact@perth.ca.

Building and Planning Timeline Suspensions

Building and Planning Operations will continue through the lockdown.

For additional Building information call our Chief Building Official Brian Gass at 613-267-3311 Ext 2232

For Planning information call our Planner Bradley Wright at 613-267-3311 Ext 2235

Healthcare Resources

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Health Unit.

Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital

If you have symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath please contact:

call your Health Care provider and explain your symptoms

if you don't have a Health Care provider, call Ontario Tele-Health 1-866-797-0000 or use their self-assessment tool for COVID-19

Provincial Information

Province of Ontario COVID-19 Information

Federal Information

Government of Canada COVID-19 Information

State of Emergency Declaration Information

An emergency is defined under the Emergency Management Act as “a situation, or an impending situation caused by the forces of nature, an accident, an intentional act or otherwise that constitutes a danger of major proportions to life or property”. Mayor John Fenik declared a state of emergency for the Town of Perth due to the COVID-19 crisis. This declaration falls in line with the steps taken by the Ontario Government, and will be in place until further notice.

An emergency declaration may extend to all, or any part of the geographical area under the jurisdiction of the municipality, in this case it extends to all of the geographical area of the Town of Perth.

This Declaration was made in order to support our Public Health officials. The Town of Perth supports the Health Unit’s stance that seasonal cottage owners should stay at home and we continue to encourage residents to stay at home when sick, practice physical distancing, avoid non-essential visits to stores, washing our hands and covering our cough

Town of Perth Press Releases

June 17, 2020 Town of Perth Cautiously Welcomes Visitors

May 29, 2020 Town of Perth Waiving Fees

May 24, 2020 Town of Perth Supporting our Local Businesses

April 7, 2020 Declaration of State of Emergency - COVID-19

March 20, 2020 Town Encourages Cottagers to Stay Home During COVID-19 Crisis

March 25, 2020 Waiving of Interest and Penalties on Property and Water Taxes

March 16, 2020 Notice to Town Residents

March 14, 2020 COVID-19 Update