COVID-19

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The Provincial and Federal Governments have taken several steps to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. The Town of Perth is following all directives issued provincially and federally to proactively limit the spread of the virus within our community.

As of 7 April 2020, the Town has Declared a State of Emergency

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

Town Facility Access

Town Hall, Fire Hall, Museum/Tourism Office, and the Indoor Pool will re-open on Monday June 22, 2020. Read the detailed Press Release.

The Perth and District Union Library is closed but is now offering curbside pickup.

The following recreation amenities in Perth are now OPEN for public use:

picnic sites and shelters
benches
baseball diamonds
soccer fields
tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts
skateboard parks
splash pad

Social Distancing guidelines must be followed when using these facilities, unless you are part of the same household. Organised games on the baseball and soccer fields are not permitted. For additional information see this set of Q and A from the Health Unit.

Green spaces in parks, trails, ravines and conservation areas that aren't otherwise closed would remain open for walkthrough access, but individuals must maintain the safe physical distance of at least two metres apart from others."

These recreation amenities are still CLOSED:

All outdoor playgrounds, play structures and equipment
All communal facilities intended to be used by persons using outdoor sports amenities Eg. changerooms
All portions of park and recreational areas containing outdoor fitness equipment.

Provincial Offences Court Cancellation

The Provincial Offences court that runs at Town Hall on Tuesdays, is cancelled until July 6, 2020 inclusive. Trial notices will be re-issued and sent to defendants in the mail. If you have questions please call 613-326-3122.

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

Federal and Provincial Government Support in PDF

Official Summary of Federal and Provincial Support Programs for Individuals and Businesses Up to Date as of July 3rd at 4:30 pm.

Provincial Government Support

Updated on July 3rd 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.

Program	Value	Details
Launch of Ontario Together Website	NA	Ontario Together, a new website that will help businesses and their employees work with the province to meet the challenges of COVID-19. The website will identify the province's supply challenges and solicit ideas and advice from Ontario's business and manufacturing communities on how the government can work together to meet the need. Through the portal, companies will be able to submit proposals for the government to procure required goods and services and share creative solutions quickly.
Municipal Emergency Act, 2020 - Supply Chain - Temporary Changes to Municipal Noise By-Laws	NA	The new legislation ensures that for the near future, the delivery of goods to Ontario's businesses and consumers isn't impacted by municipal noise bylaws. These temporary changes will allow businesses to transfer goods between their warehouses and retail stores 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Commercial Vehicles - Extension of validation Periods for Driver, Vehicle and Carrier Products	NA	New regulations include extensions for driver licences, licence plate validation, Ontario Photo Cards, and Commercial Vehicle Operator Registration certificates, among others. This extension will be in place until such time that, based on the advice of Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials, the current situation improves.
Ontario is waiving the three-month waiting period for Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage	NA	The province will cover the cost of COVID-19 services for uninsured people who do not meet the criteria for OHIP coverage.
Job Protection for Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic	NA	The Employment Standards Amendment Act (Infectious Disease Emergencies), 2020, provides job-protected leave for employees unable to work due to COVID-19 The legislation makes it clear that an employee is not be required to provide a medical note if they take the leave.
Additional Support for Ontario Residents	NA	The Province is reviewing current access and eligibility to emergency assistance which is available through the Ontario Works (OW) program to support individuals who are impacted by the coronavirus and who are not able to meet their basic living expenses. The Province has halted new evictions, and postponed enforcement of eviction orders in order to protect Ontario residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
WSIB Financial Relief Package	$1.9 Billion	The measure, which will run through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), will see premium payments deferred for six months for all businesses in the province. All employers covered by the WSIB's workplace insurance are automatically eligible for the provisions of the relief package and can defer premium reporting and payments until August 31, 2020. They will not be required to opt in to receive this benefit. Additionally, the WSIB will cease interest accrual on all outstanding premium payments. They will not charge penalties during this six-month deferral period. There will be no negative consequences for businesses who defer premium reporting and payments. The WSIB will continue to fully cover workers at eligible workplaces.
Provincial Tax Deferrals	$6 Billion	Providing five months of interest and penalty relief for businesses to file and make payments for the majority of provincially administered taxes.
Various new proposals under Ontario's Action Plan	Various	The government's action plan is a first step in its response to COVID-19 and includes $7 billion in additional resources for the health care system and direct support for people and jobs. It also will make available $10 billion in support for people and businesses through tax and other deferrals to improve their cash flow, protecting jobs and household budgets.

Federal Government Support

Updated on July 3rd 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

10 Ways Your Library is Still Here for You

Hard copy library books may be out of the question right now, but as the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy says; “Don’t panic.” The Perth Union Library and its staff are still here for you, even if it is from a socially appropriate distance! Wondering how to use our resources, or what’s even available? Read on, dear patron.

1 – Check out our new website

If you haven’t explored our new website yet, now is the perfect time! Resources for kids, digital services, exploration & enrichment, as well as our catalogue for book searches are ready for your perusal with just an easy click from our homepage.

2 – Explore our online book collection

Dear patrons, we know that there is truly nothing like a “real” book, but have you checked out Libby yet? Libby is a free app with which you can download e-books and audiobooks using your library card. Online copies might not be “the same,” but these resources are a treasure all on their own. Audiobooks are a great way to enjoy a story hands-free, and who knew that reading in the dark could be so cozy? You can set your text size, brightness level, and even colour scheme from the settings menu. Remember that your library card number is listed near the barcode on your card.

3 – Find your next book

Sometimes finding your next read is difficult. We’re here to help! Not only does our website have a staff picks page, but we also have a direct link to NoveList. NoveList is a great way to help match you with the titles you want; just search for a favourite book and click through for a list of similar titles or authors. You can also browse book titles by genre or by description. If you are wondering what the last book you checked out from the Perth Library was called, remember that you can log in to your account on our website, and view your circulation history!

4 – Watch movies for free

Kanopy is a movie-streaming service that you can access for free using your library account. Search films by genre or topic, set parental controls, and even check your viewing history. The Kanopy library is an especially great way to explore some new ideas if you are needing a break from Hollywood media. Be aware though; you only get five free movies per month! What a great excuse to set up a virtual movie night, and enjoy a film together – apart.

5 – Visit the museum

Feeling a need to see something besides the usual surroundings? Visit the museum from your couch! Many cultural spaces around the world are opening up their displays to virtual tours for free. These can be found with a few easy clicks from the Perth Union Library’s homepage. First, select “Programs & Events” then “Adult Learning.” This will take you to a page rich in easy-click links to lead you on your next great online adventure. You can even visit the Metropolitan Opera! “Nightly Met Opera Streams” at 7:30 p.m. Remember that you can easily bookmark a page from your internet browser - look for the three dots representing a drop-down menu, or a star near the web address.

6 – Build your digital skills

Libraries are a place of shared knowledge. Even in the midst of so much change, this continues to be true. At the Perth Union Library, we recognize that the online world can be a difficult and overwhelming place to navigate. Feeling stranded is the worst! To help you on your way, we have included a resource link on our Adult Learning page called “TechBoomers.” The TechBoomers site offers a wide range of tutorials from internet safety and shopping online, to how to use Facebook. If you are feeling that you have these things figured out pretty well, you can even find tutorials on how to learn computer programming, run a successful blog, or advice on how to get your business online.

7 - Free Wifi

The library is a place of connection and we are all finding new ways to connect with our community these days. As always, allow us to get you connected digitally; if you bring your own device, you can connect freely to the library’s wifi network from anywhere around the library building. Now that the weather is getting warmer you can actually linger in the library garden, applying appropriate physical distancing, of course!

8 - Explore the world

While we may not be able to pack our bags and hop on a plane right now, we can still explore the wonders that the world has to offer right in our own homes! Under the Digital Library tab of our website, you can find Global Road Warrior and AtoZ World Travel, both of which are fantastic resources packed with information about the many places and cultures of our wonderful world.

9 - Connect the kids

We've got tons of fun stuff and educational resources for kids on our website! On the Kids’ Resources page, you’ll find links for at-home learning, exploration, and play with ideas for offline activities as well. For the younger set, click over to our Babies & Toddlers page where you’ll find tons of guides and storytimes to help you build your child’s early literacy skills. Parents, we haven’t forgotten you - you now have your very own Parents’ Corner filled with information and resources to support you and your growing readers! Kids can sign up for our new Pen Pal Program to connect with other kids in our community (and to get some reading & writing practice in!)

10 - Connect with us

Connect with us on social media for all the latest updates - follow us on Facebook, Twitter, andInstagram! If you’re missing the friendly faces you usually see at the library, check-in with our staff on the library’s blog to see what we’re up to (find it under the “About” tab of the website, under “News”). Miss getting together with your book club to chat about what you’ve read? Join the Perth Union Library Together Apart Book Club on Goodreads. We’re currently reading The Outlander by award-winning Canadian author Gil Adamson which is accessible free for all with your Perth Union Library card. Join in the discussion!

This is just a short list of the ways the library is here for you. Hop on our website for current information about the library closure, links to mental health support, and our regular catalogue. We’re also on social media, and would love to meet you there! It is such a wild change to be distant from our wonderful patrons. We hope that you are all keeping well. Have questions or just want to say hi? Reach out to us at info@perthunionlibrary.ca and come visit our virtual space soon!

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

A Provincial Order in Council has been passed that suspends all legislated timelines which includes Planning and Building Code timelines.

See our COVID-19 Protocol for Building Permit & Inspection Services - Updated April 6, 2020.

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