Township of Lake of Bays Municipal Offices Phone (705) 635-2272 Fax (705) 635-2132
Council Information Sheet – January 20, 2021 - February 18, 2021 Corporation of the Township of Lake of Bays COUNCIL INFORMATION SHEET
Page
January 20, 2021 - February 18, 2021
RESOLUTIONS RECEIVED:
4 1. Township of Emo - re: Resolution supporting the Township of South Stormont regarding the Re-Opening of Small Businesses, dated February 12, 2021.
*Note: The Township of Lake of Bays did not receive the resolution from the Township of South Stormont.
5 - 6 2. Town of Orangeville - re: Resolution requesting Support to Implement a Plan to Phase-out All Gas-Fired Electricity Generation, dated February 10, 2021.
7 3. Township of Georgian Bay - re: Resolution supporting the Municipality of Charleton and Dack regarding Municipal Insurance Premiums, dated February 9, 2021.
*Note: The Township of Lake of Bays did not receive the resolution from the Municipality of Charlton and Dack.
8 - 9 4. City of St. Catharines - re: Resolution requesting Support for Universal Paid Sick Days in Ontario, dated February 9, 2021.
10 - 12 5. Township of Guelph/Eramosa - re: Resolution requesting Support regarding a Review and Reform of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 1990, dated February 8, 2021.
13 - 16 6. Municipality of Meaford - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Matachewan regarding Grant Application Deadlines, dated February 3, 2021.
17 - 18 7. Township of Terrace Bay - re: Resolution requesting Support for the Province of Ontario to reverse their decision to Close the Ontario Fire College, dated February 2, 2021.
Page 1 of 97 Council Information Sheet – January 20, 2021 - February 18, 2021 Page
19 - 20 8. Township of Terrace Bay - re: Resolution supporting the Rainy River District Municipal Association regarding the Minister of Finance to Consider Municipal Taxation of Railroad Rights of Way Properties based on a Per Tonne-Mile Concept, dated February 2, 2021.
*Note: The Township of Lake of Bays did not receive the correspondence from the Rainy River District Municipal Association.
21 - 22 9. Township of Asphodel-Norwood - re: Resolution requesting Support for an Extension Request for the Community Safety & Well-Being (CSWB) Plan, dated February 1, 2021.
23 10. Township of Baldwin - re: Resolution requesting Support for the Province of Ontario to reverse their decision to Close the Ontario Fire College, dated February 1, 2021.
24 - 27 11. Township of Baldwin - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Lake of Bays and the Town of Amherstburg regarding the AODA Website Compliance Extension Request, dated February 1, 2021.
28 - 29 12. City of Port Colborne - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Blandford-Blenheim regarding Unlicensed and Unmonitored Cannabis Grow Operations, dated January 26, 2021.
30 13. Township of Conmee - re: Resolution requesting Support to Amend the Municipal Act and the Municipal Elections Act, dated January 26, 2021.
31 14. Township of North Glengarry - re: Resolution requesting Support for the Province of Ontario to allow for Small Businesses to Reopen, dated January 25, 2021.
32 - 33 15. Town of Gore Bay - re: Resolution supporting the Municipality of Charlton and Dack regarding the Increased Cost of Municipal Insurance, dated January 25, 2021.
*Note: The Township of Lake of Bays did not receive the resolution from the Municipality of Charlton and Dack.
34 - 38 16. Township of Muskoka Lakes - re: Resolution supporting the Town of Shelburne regarding Bill 229 and the Conservation Authorities, dated January 20, 2021.
CORRESPONDENCE: 39 - 46 1. Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, No. 77, dated February 17, 2021.
47 - 54 2. Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, No. 76, dated February 10, 2021.
Page 2 of 97 Council Information Sheet – January 20, 2021 - February 18, 2021 Page
55 - 58 3. Decibel Coalition - re: Correspondence regarding Background Paper for Municipal Councillors and Staff and Motion requesting Support, dated February 8, 2021.
59 4. Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare - re: Correspondence regarding MAHC Hosts Virtual Nurses Career Fair, dated February 8, 2021.
60 - 66 5. Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, No. 75, dated February 3, 2021.
67 - 70 6. Mayor Robert Wilhelm, Township of Perth South - re: Correspondence regarding Conservation Authorities Working Group Composition, dated February 2, 2021.
71 - 73 7. Corey Bridges, Manager of Finance/Treasurer, Perth County - re: Correspondence regarding Significant Negative Impacts of Current Value Assessments in Perth County, dated February 2, 2021.
74 8. Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare - re: Muskoka Assessment Centres Open on Family Day, dated February 1, 2021.
75 - 82 9. Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, No. 74, dated January 27, 2021.
83 - 86 10. City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding Bill 229 "Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act, Schedule 6 - Conservation Authorities Act", dated January 25, 2021.
87 - 90 11. City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding AODA Website Compliance Extension Request, dated January 25, 2021.
91 - 93 12. Christy Doyle, Director of Environmental and Watershed Programs, District Municipality of Muskoka - re: 2019 Lake System Health Water Quality Monitoring Program, dated January 14, 2021.
94 - 97 13. Hydro One re: Correspondence regarding 2021 Vegetation Maintenance Program.
Page 3 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 1.
The Corporation of the Township of Emo P.O. Box 520, Emo, Ontario, POW 1E0
Website: www.emo.ca Phone; 807-482-2378 E—mai|: [email protected] Fax: 807-482-2741
February 12, 2021
Via email: ash|[email protected]
Township of South Stormont, 2 Mille Roches Rd., P.O. Box 84, Long Sault, ON, KOC1P0
ATTENTION: Ashley Sloan, Deputy Clerk.
Dear Ashley Sloan,
RE: Support for Reopening Small Business.
Please be advised at the regular meeting of the Council of the Township of Emo held on February 10, 2021, the following resolution was passed:
”BEIT RESOLVEDthat the Township ofEmo hereby received correspondence fromthe Township ofSouth Stormont regarding support for re-opening small businesses; ANDFURTHERTHATCouncil endorses and supports the Township ofSouth Stormont in their effortsto request the Province ofOntario to allow forsmall businesses to immediately reopen with the required health guidelines and protocols in place.”
Council fully recognizes the importance ofthis matter and felt strongly about supporting this matter.
Yours truly, . l§ui£a}wl7°§o/l
BF/ss
cc. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, [email protected]; Steve Clark, Minster of Municipal Affairs, steve.c|[email protected]|a.org
Township of Emo - re: Resolution supporting the Township of South Stormo... Page 4 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2.
From: Tracy MacDonald
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links, follow instructions or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Good afternoon,
Please see below a resolution passed by the Town of Orangeville on February 8, 2021 regarding greenhouse gas emissions.
2021-069 Moved: Councillor Peters Seconded: Councillor Andrews Whereas the Town of Orangeville prides itself on being a municipal leader with respect to sustainability, including the endorsement of the Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan and a community greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory; And whereas the Town will be establishing a long term carbon goal later this year; And whereas municipalities account for 50% of global emissions thus necessitating further action by all sectors and other levels of government; And whereas the Ontario government recently purchased 3 gas plants, a move that could lead to the increase of provincial greenhouse gas pollution by more than 400% by 2040; And whereas a number of municipalities, as partners in government, have passed motions to ask Queen’s Park to reverse this decision in keeping with the need to reduce, not increase, greenhouse gas emissions; Therefore Be It Resolved That the Town of Orangeville write to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Minister of Environment, Conservation, Energy, and Parks to request that the Government of Ontario develop and implement a plan to phase-out all gas-fired electricity generation as soon as possible, with an emphasis on proven renewable energy technologies and energy storage, to ensure that Orangeville and other municipalities are enabled to achieve climate action goals (or “GHG emission reduction targets”); and That the Town of Orangeville write the respective portfolio critics, all party leaders in the Legislature, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, requesting that the Government of Ontario develop and implement a plan to phase-out all gas- fired electricity generation, and direct the IESO to
Town of Orangeville - re: Resolution requesting Support to Implement a P... Page 5 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2.
accelerate the use of renewable electricity supply, energy storage, and energy efficiency in all sectors, in order to reduce provincial greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and bolster our competitiveness in the global cleantech marketplace and overall emerging low-carbon economy.
Result: Carried
Regards,
Tracy Macdonald| Assistant Clerk | Corporate Services Town of Orangeville | 87 Broadway | Orangeville ON L9W 1K1 519-941-0440 Ext. 2256 | Toll Free 1-866-941-0440 Ext. 2256 [email protected] | www.orangeville.ca
Town of Orangeville - re: Resolution requesting Support to Implement a P... Page 6 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 3.
C-032-2021 THE TOWNSHIP OF GEORGIAN BAY Council DATE: 9 February 2021
YEA NAY
Councillor Bochek MOVED BY: Hazelton Councillor Cooper
Councillor Douglas SECONDED Jarvis
Councillor Hazelton BY:
Councillor Jarvis Councillor Wiancko Mayor Koetsier
DEFERRED ______CARRIED __X____ DEFEATED ______REFERRED ______
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council send a letter of support to the Municipality of Charleton and Dack to immediately review the recommendations to investigate the unethical practice of preferred vendors who are paid substantial amounts over industry standards, despite COVID-19 delays, as insurance premiums will soon be out of reach for many communities;
AND THAT this motion be provided to the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance, the Honourable Doug Downey, Attorney General of Ontario and all other Ontario municipalities.
Peter Koetsier Mayor
Township of Georgian Bay - re: Resolution supporting the Municipality of... Page 7 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 4.
February 9, 2021
The Honourable Doug Ford, M.P.P. Premier of Ontario Legislative Building Queen's Park Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Sent via email: [email protected]
Re: Universal Paid Sick Days in Ontario Our File 35.31.99
Dear Premier Ford:
At its meeting held on February 1, 2021, St. Catharines City Council approved the following motion:
“WHEREAS workers in Ontario without paid sick leave often feel forced to work when unwell so they can feed and support their families and are at risk of losing a paycheque or even their jobs if they stay home; and
WHEREAS the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit is temporary, not accessible to all and not usable for the crucial first few days of an illness; and
WHEREAS had legislated paid sick leave been in place before the global pandemic, lives would have been saved because infection rates would have been reduced; and
WHEREAS the lack of paid sick days has especially hurt Black, Indigenous, workers of colour, women and migrant workers who are over-represented in low-paying frontline jobs with few benefits and a reduced ability to work from home; and
WHEREAS the Ontario Medical Association, 11 GTHA Mayors and Chairs representing Ontario’s largest municipalities, the editorial board of the Toronto Star, the Toronto Board of Health, the Decent Work and Health Network, the Ontario Nurses Association, and several other professional associations representing thousands of healthcare workers have all called on the provincial government to legislate paid sick days;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of St. Catharines endorses legislated sick leave and calls on the government of Ontario to permanently legislate universal paid sick days for all workers in Ontario during the pandemic and beyond, regardless of workplace size, type of work or immigration status; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this motion be forwarded to the Premier of Ontario, Minister of Labour, all Regional MPPs, Niagara Region, and all Ontario Municipalities.”
City of St. Catharines - re: Resolution requesting Support for Universal... Page 8 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 4.
If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the City Clerk at extension 1506.
Bonnie Nistico-Dunk, City Clerk Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk :ra
Cc Minister of Labour, Hon. Monte McNaughton, [email protected] Jennifer Stevens, MPP - St. Catharines, [email protected] Jeff Burch, MPP - Niagara Centre, [email protected] Wayne Gates, MPP - Niagara Falls, [email protected] Sam Oosterhoff, MPP - Niagara West-Glanbrook, [email protected] Niagara Region Ontario Municipalities
City of St. Catharines - re: Resolution requesting Support for Universal... Page 9 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5.
8348 Wellington Road 124 P.O. Box 700 Rockwood ON N0B 2K0 Tel: 519-856-9596 Fax: 519-856-2240 Toll Free: 1-800-267-1465
February 8, 2021
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 17th Floor, 777 Bay Street Toronto, ON M7A 2J3
Attention: The Hon. Steve Clark
Re: Advocacy for Reform – MFIPPA Legislation
At the Township of Guelph/Eramosa’s Regular Meeting of Council held on Monday February 1, 2021, the following resolution was put forward and passed:
Be it resolved that the Council of the Township of Guelph/Eramosa has received Clerk’s Department Report 21/03 regarding Advocacy for Reform – MFIPPA Legislation; and
That that the following motions be passed in support of a request to review and reform of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act:
WHEREAS the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act R.S.O. 1990 (MFIPPA) dates back 30 years;
AND WHEREAS municipalities, including the Township of Guelph/Eramosa, practice and continue to promote open and transparent government operations, actively disseminate information and routinely disclose public documents upon request outside of the MFIPPA process;
AND WHEREAS government operations, public expectations, technologies, and legislation surrounding accountability and transparency have dramatically changed and MFIPPA has not advanced in line with these changes;
AND WHEREAS the creation, storage and utilization of records has changed significantly, and the Municipal Clerk of the Municipality is responsible for records and information management programs as prescribed by the Municipal Act, 2001;
Jenni Spies Tel: 519-856-9596 Deputy Clerk [email protected]
Township of Guelph/Eramosa - re: Resolution requesting Support regarding...Page 10 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5.
AND WHEREAS regulation 823 under MFIPPA continues to reference antiquated technology and does not adequately provide for cost recovery, and these financial shortfalls are borne by the municipal taxpayer;
AND WHEREAS the threshold to establish frivolous and/or vexatious requests is unreasonably high and allows for harassment of staff and members of municipal councils, and unreasonably affects the operations of the municipality;
AND WHEREAS the Act fails to recognize how multiple requests from an individual, shortage of staff resources or the expense of producing a record due to its size, number or physical location does not allow for time extensions to deliver requests and unreasonably affects the operations of the municipality;
AND WHEREAS the name of the requestor is not permitted to be disclosed to anyone other than the person processing the access request, and this anonymity is used by requesters to abuse the MFIPPA process and does not align with the spirit of openness and transparency embraced by municipalities;
AND WHEREAS legal professionals use MFIPPA to gain access to information launch litigation against institutions, where other remedies exist;
AND WHEREAS there are limited resources to assist administrators or requestors to navigate the legislative process;
AND WHEREAS reform is needed to address societal and technological changes in addition to global privacy concerns and consistency across provincial legislation;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services be requested to review the MFIPPA, and consider recommendations as follows:
1. That MFIPPA assign the Municipal Clerk, or designate to be the Head under the Act; 2. That MFIPPA be updated to address current and emerging technologies; 3. That MFIPPA regulate the need for consistent routine disclosure practices across institutions; 4. That the threshold for frivolous and/or vexatious actions be reviewed, and take into consideration the community and available resources in which it is applied; 5. That the threshold for frivolous and/or vexatious also consider the anonymity of requesters, their abusive nature and language in
Jenni Spies Tel: 519-856-9596 ext. 107 Deputy Clerk [email protected]
Township of Guelph/Eramosa - re: Resolution requesting Support regarding...Page 11 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5.
requests to ensure protection from harassment as provided for in Occupational Health and Safety Act; 6. That the application and scalability of fees be designed to ensure taxpayers are protected from persons abusing the access to information process; 7. That administrative practices implied or required under the Act, including those of the IPC, be reviewed and modernized; 8. That the integrity of the Act be maintained to protect personal privacy and transparent governments.
Please accept this for your information and any necessary action.
Sincerely,
Jenni Spies Deputy Clerk
Cc. Ted Arnott, MPP Wellington-Halton Hills Michael Chong, MP Wellington-Halton Hills Minister of Consumer Services Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario Association of Municipalities of Ontario Association of Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario Ontario Clerks
Jenni Spies Tel: 519-856-9596 ext. 107 Deputy Clerk [email protected]
Township of Guelph/Eramosa - re: Resolution requesting Support regarding...Page 12 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 6.
February 3, 2021
Via Email
Re: Letter of Support, Grant Extension for Ontario Municipalities
This letter is being sent in support of the Township of Matachewan’s resolution regarding grant application deadlines.
Please be advised that at their meeting on February 1, 2021, Council of the Municipality of Meaford passed the following resolution of support pertaining to the Township of Matachewan’s request regarding grant opportunity timelines for Ontario municipalities:
Moved by: Councillor Vickers Seconded by: Councillor Greenfield
That Council of the Municipality of Meaford directs Staff to prepare and send a letter of support on the Township of Matachewan resolution regarding the extension of grant deadlines to all Ontario Municipalities and AMO.
Carried - Resolution #2020-02-08
As per the above resolution, please accept a copy of this correspondence for your information and consideration.
Municipality of Meaford - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Mata... Page 13 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 6.
Yours sincerely,
Margaret Wilton-Siegel Deputy Clerk / Manager of Community Services Municipality of Meaford 21 Trowbridge Street West, Meaford 519-538-1060, ext. 1100 | [email protected]
cc: Association of Municipalities Ontario All Ontario Municipalities
Municipality of Meaford - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Mata... Page 14 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 6.
Municipality of Meaford - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Mata... Page 15 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 6.
Municipality of Meaford - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Mata... Page 16 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 7.
The Corporation of the Township of Terrace Bay P.O. Box 40, 1 Selkirk Avenue, Terrace Bay, ON, P0T 2W0 Phone: (807) 825-3315 Fax: (807) 825-9576
February 2, 2021
The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen’s Park Toronto, ON M7A 1Y7
Dear Premier Doug Ford,
Please be advised that Council of The Corporation of the Township of Terrace Bay at the Regular Council Meeting of February 1, 2021 resolved as follows:
That the resolution received from the Town of Augusta Re: Ontario Fire College
Resolution: 28-2021
Moved By: Councillor St.Louis Seconded By: Councillor Malashewski
WHEREAS the Ontario Fire College has been in existence since 1949; and
WHEREAS the Ontario Fire College is one of the primary sources of certified training for Ontario Firefighters; and
WHEREAS the Ontario Fire College has built a reputation of integrity, credibility, and reliability in providing some of the best training to our Fire Services within the Province of Ontario; and
WHEREAS the Ontario Fire College has been used to train and certify both Volunteer, Part-Time and Career firefighters throughout Ontario; and
WHEREAS the Ontario Fire College gives Ontario Firefighters another option other than Regional Training Centers to obtain National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) certifications; and
WHEREAS the Ontario Fire College is the most cost-effective method to certify Firefighters to NFPA Standards in Ontario; and
WHEREAS the Ontario Government enacted and revoked 0. Reg. 379/18: Firefighter Certification in 2018; and
WHEREAS when the Ontario Government revoked 0. Reg. 379/18: Firefighter Certification, it was made known by the Office of the Solicitor General that the act would be amended and brought back in the future; and
Township of Terrace Bay - re: Resolution requesting Support for the Prov... Page 17 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 7.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Township of Terrace Bay requests that the Province of Ontario reverse their decision to close the Ontario Fire College as the OFC is one of the best and most cost-effective methods for municipalities to train their firefighters which assists us in protecting our residents; and CARRIED
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this Resolution is forwarded to the Honourable Doug Ford Premier of Ontario, the Honourable Sylvia Jones; Ontario Solicitor General, the Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Ontario Fire Marshal; Jon Pegg, and all municipalities within the Province of Ontario.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Hall CAO/Clerk
CC: Honourable Sylvia Jones, Ontario Solicitor General Hon. Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Jon Pegg, Ontario Fire Marshal Ontario Municipalities
Township of Terrace Bay - re: Resolution requesting Support for the Prov... Page 18 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 8.
The Corporation of the Township of Terrace Bay P.O. Box 40, 1 Selkirk Avenue, Terrace Bay, ON, P0T 2W0 Phone: (807) 825-3315 Fax: (807) 825-9576
February 2, 2021
The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario Legislative Building, Queen’s Park Toronto, ON M7A 1Y7
Dear Premier Doug Ford,
Please be advised that Council of The Corporation of the Township of Terrace Bay at the Regular Council Meeting on February 1, 2021 resolved as follows:
That the resolution received from the Rainy River District Municipal Association Re: Tax Rate for Railway Rights-of-Way – Per Tonne-Mile Contract, be supported.
Resolution: 27-2021
Moved By: Councillor Moore Seconded By: Councillor Malashewski
WHEREAS in 2018 the Province of Ontario adjusted the tax rate for acreage for railway rights of way throughout Ontario which specifically impacted Rainy River, Kenora and Thunder Bay Districts in a positive fashion; and
WHEREAS in other provinces and Jurisdictions the railway companies remit a more equitable share of taxes to their local tax base by using a per tonne-mile concept; and
WHEREAS rail traffic continues to increase and the train length has more than doubled which results in rail traffic congestion, increased wait times, noise pollution, unknown environmental concerns, and causing small municipalities to keep open and maintain road allowances which only benefit the railroads, as well as crossing maintenance payments and inflationary costs; and
WHEREAS the Province of Ontario should review fees based on inflation and current conditions on an annual basis to ensure that Ontario does not continue to fall further behind in their approach to railway property taxation; and
WHEREAS fair and equitable taxation revenue on railway property based on the per tonne-mile will reduce the financial pressure especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and its recovery on the Province and provide financial support to municipalities taxation going forward;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Township of Terrace Bay supports the Rainy River District Municipal Association in its call to the Minister of Finance of the Province of Ontario to undertake ongoing consideration of municipal taxation for railroad rights of way properties based on a per tonne-mile concept; and CARRIED
Township of Terrace Bay - re: Resolution supporting the Rainy River Dist... Page 19 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 8.
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Township of Terrace Bay send this resolution of support to every Municipal Council within the Province of Ontario seeking their support, the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Finance of Ontario, Local MPP's, Local MP's, NOMA, ROMA, and AMO."
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Hall CAO/Clerk
CC: Minister of Finance of Ontario Local MPP Local MP NOMA ROMA AMO
Township of Terrace Bay - re: Resolution supporting the Rainy River Dist... Page 20 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9.
February 1, 2021
Sent by E-mail [email protected]
Honourable Sylvia Jones Solicitor General 18th Floor - 25 Grosvenor St. Toronto, ON M7A 1Y6
Re: Community Safety & Well-Being Plan - Extension Request
Dear Solicitor General Jones,
The Township of Asphodel-Norwood is participating in a regional Community Safety & Well-Being Plan (CSWB) plan with the City of Peterborough and the eight (8) lower-tier municipalities located within the County of Peterborough. The decision to develop a joint plan was derived after consulting with our municipal neighbours. Our vision for a long- term tool that addresses the unique needs of our area while supporting safe, healthy, and sustainable communities by moving away from reactionary, incident-driven responses and re-focusing on proactive, collaborative initiatives to take the strain off the emergency response system is shared by all of our municipal partners; as the success of our community is dependent upon each and every individual’s well-being.
Preparations are underway, but the response efforts needed to manage the COVID-19 outbreak have taken priority and an unprecedented amount of time, energy, and resources. A meaningful CSWB Plan requires extensive public consultation and engagement in order to prepare a document that is both comprehensive and in alignment with the legislative intent. Given the current political climate and the ongoing effects of the pandemic, a deadline extension for the completion and adoption of a CSWB Plan would be the most appropriate course of action. The Township appreciates the extension previously granted from January 1, 2021 to July 1, 2021, but humbly asks the Solicitor General consult with municipalities before prescribing a new deadline.
With that in mind, I put forward the following resolution for your consideration:
WHEREAS the Police Services Act, 1990, was amended on January 1, 2019 to mandate every municipality in Ontario to prepare and adopt a Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Plan; and
Township of Asphodel-Norwood - re: Resolution requesting Support for an ... Page 21 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9.
WHEREAS the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing introduced the Municipal Emergency Act, 2020 to assist municipal governments and local boards during the COVID-19 emergency; and
WHEREAS the protective measures municipalities have put in place to protect their communities, Councillors, and staff members include eliminating face-to-face meetings, closing municipal offices, and directing staff to work from home; and
WHEREAS Bill 189, Coronavirus (COVID-19) Support and Protection Act, 2020 was passed to amend various acts to support municipal, policing, and community partners during the pandemic;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that while these measures are imperative and necessary, they impose undue hardship on municipalities to meet provincial deadlines such as the completion and adoption of a Community Safety & Well-Being (CSWB) Plan prior to July 1, 2021. The Council of the Township of Asphodel-Norwood calls upon the Solicitor General to review the imposed deadline for municipalities to complete and adopt a Community Safety & Well-Being (CSWB) Plan in consultation with local governments to address the unique challenges facing individual regions.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration of our request. Please do not hesitate to reach out should you require any further information.
Sincerely,
Candice White, CAO/Clerk/Treasurer Township of Asphodel-Norwood
Cc: Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services All Ontario Municipalities in Ontario
Township of Asphodel-Norwood - re: Resolution requesting Support for an ... Page 22 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 10.
“I0 COI'D0l'i|Ii0ll0‘“I0 TDWNSIIIP(IF BALDWIN P.O. Box 7095, 11 Spooner Street MCKERROW,ONTARIO POP1M0 TEL:(705) 869 0225 FAX:(705)869-5049
CLERK:Karin Bates — karin@ba|dwin.ca
MOVED BY: 7//‘ //L DATE: February 1, 2021
SECONDED BY: (p’ MOTIONNO.: 21-
WHEREASthe province wants to man dla e raining Ieve Is for Fire Fighters and now wishes to close the Ontario Fire College located in Gravenh urst, Ontario which has been used for many Government agencies such as Ministryof Transportation, Ontario Provincial Police, Fire Fighters, both full time and volunteer; and WHEREAS only a small percentage of our department has any formal training and are responsible to train junior fire fighters with the minimal training we receive; and WHEREASas volunteers, we are on call 24/7/365 with day jobs and families that expect us to come home safely each and every time; and WHERASthe Fire College makes top tier training accessible to all Fire Departments in Ontario; and WHEREAS municipalities are mandated to have fire departments, yet there is no provincial or federal funding for volunteer fire departments for much needed equipment and training; and
WHEREAS without a plan in place it is irresponsible to close down a vital training centre that sen/es Ontario and it would put Municipalitiesat risk which is shortsighted and not acceptable.
NOWTHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Corporation of the Township of Baldwin requests the Province of Ontario to reconsider closing this all-importantfacility
Township of Baldwin - re: Resolution requesting Support for the Province... Page 23 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 11.
Township of Baldwin - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Lake of ... Page 24 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 11.
LAKE T 705-635-2272 TOWNSHIP OF LAKE OF BAYS TF 1-877 566 0005 1012 Dwight Beach Rd OF BAYS F 705 635-2132 Dwight, ON POA lHO • MUSKOKA •
December 16, 2020 Via email: [email protected] Town of Amherstburg Attention: Tammy Fowkes, Deputy Clerk 271 Sandwich Street South Amherstburg, ON N9V 2A5
Dear Ms. Fowkes:
RE: Correspondence - AODA Website Compliance Extension Request
On behalf of the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Lake of Bays, please be advised that the above-noted correspondence was presented at the last regularly scheduled meeting on December 15, 2020, and the following was passed:
"Resolution #7(a)/12/15/20
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Lake of Bays hereby supports the Resolution received by the Township of Amherstburg regarding Support for the AODA Compliance Extension Request, dated September 21 , 2020;
AND FURTHER THAT this resolution be forwarded to the Town of Amherstburg, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility, Premier Doug Ford, AMO, and all municipalities in Ontario.
Carried."
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Municipal Office at 705-635-2272.
rie s es, Dip/. M.A., GMO, AOMC, Director of Corporate Services/Clerk.
Encl.
Copy to: Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario Hon. Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility Association of Municipalities of Ontario All Ontario Municipalities
;-:t / ••• t 100 LAKES TO EXPLORE /<4 .. Ji-.~~.:::·
Township of Baldwin - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Lake of ... Page 25 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 11.
September 21, 2020 VIA EMAIL
The Right Honourable Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility College Park 5th Flr, 777 Bay St, Toronto, ON M7A 1S5
Re: AODA Website Compliance Extension Request
At its meeting of September 14, 2020, Council passed the following for your consideration:
Resolution # 20200914-281
“1. WHEREAS Section 14(4) of O.Reg 191/11 under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act requires designated public sector organizations to conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA by January 1, 2021; 2. AND WHEREAS the municipality remains committed to the provision of accessible goods and services; 3. AND WHEREAS the municipality provides accommodations to meet any stated accessibility need, where possible; 4. AND WHEREAS the declared pandemic, COVID-19, has impacted the finances and other resources of the municipality; 5. AND WHEREAS the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act contemplates the need to consider the technical or economic considerations in the implementation of Accessibility Standards; 6. BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the municipality requests that the Province of Ontario extend the compliance deadline stated in Section 14(4) of O.Reg 191/11 to require designated public sector organizations to meet the compliance standards, by a minimum of one (1) year to at least January 1, 2022; AND, 7. BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the municipality requests that the Province of Ontario consider providing funding support and training resources to meet these compliance standards.”
Website: www.amherstburg.ca 271 SANDWICH ST. SOUTH, AMHERSTBURG, ONTARIO N9V 2A5 Phone: (519) 736-0012 Fax: (519) 736-5403 TTY: (519)736-9860
Township of Baldwin - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Lake of ... Page 26 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 11.
The impacts of the pandemic on municipal finances and resources affect the ability of municipalities to meet the January 1, 2021 deadline for full compliance with WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
We humbly request the Ontario government consider an extension request, in addition to financial support and training due to the unprecedented impacts of the global pandemic.
Regards,
Tammy Fowkes Deputy Clerk, Town of Amherstburg (519) 736-0012 ext. 2216 [email protected]
cc:
The Right Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario The Association of Municipalities of Ontario All Ontario Municipalities
Website: www.amherstburg.ca 271 SANDWICH ST. SOUTH, AMHERSTBURG, ONTARIO N9V 2A5 Phone: (519) 736-0012 Fax: (519) 736-5403 TTY: (519)736-9860
Township of Baldwin - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Lake of ... Page 27 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 12.
Municipal Offices: 66 Charlotte Street Port Colborne, Ontario L3K 3C8 · www.portcolborne.ca
T 905.835.2900 ext 106 F 905.834.5746 Corporate Services Department E [email protected] Clerk’s Division
January 26, 2021
Honourable Patty Hajdu Sent via E-mail: [email protected] Federal Minister of Health 705 Red River Road, Suite 3 Thunder Bay, ON P7B 1J3
Dear Honourable Minister:
Re: Resolution – Unlicensed and unmonitored cannabis grow operations
Please be advised that, at its meeting of January 11, 2021, the Council of The Corporation of the City of Port Colborne resolved as follows:
That Council support the correspondence item attached as Appendix B from the Township of Blandford-Blenheim regarding Cannabis Production.
A copy of the above noted correspondence is enclosed for your reference. Your favourable consideration of this request is respectfully requested.
Sincerely,
Amber LaPointe City Clerk
Encl.
ec: Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Vance Badawey, MP Niagara Centre Jeff Burch, MPP Niagara Centre Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Ontario Municipalities
Page 1 of 1
City of Port Colborne - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Blandf... Page 28 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 12.
Appendix B Report 2021-07 Township of Blandford-Blenheim
47 Wilmot Street South Drumbo, Ontario N0J 1G0
Phone: 519-463-5347 Fax: 519-463-5881 Web: www.blandfordblenheim.ca
October 13, 2020
Emailed to the Federal Minister of Health, Federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Oxford MP, Oxford MPP, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and all municipalities in Ontario.
Re: Unlicensed and unmonitored cannabis grow operations
Please be advised that at the Regular Meeting of Council on October 7th, 2020, the Council of the Township of Blandford-Blenheim passed the following resolution:
Resolution Number: 2020-14 Moved by: Councillor Nancy Demarest Seconded by: Councill Bruce Banbury
“That Whereas unlicensed and unmonitored cannabis grow operations have increasingly become a problem in communities in Ontario as well as across the Country; and,
Whereas these operations are allowed to establish with little or no consultation with the local community and municipalities are often only made aware of their existence after conflicts arise with neighboring land owners; and,
Whereas loopholes in existing Federal legislation allow these large scale grow op’s to establish and operate without any of the regulations or protocols that licensed and monitored operations need to adhere to,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Township of Blandford-Blenheim urges the Federal Government to amend the legislation under which these facilities operate to ensure the safety and rights of the local communities in which they are situated are respected; and,
That this resolution be forwarded to the Federal Minister of Health, Federal Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Oxford MP, Oxford MPP, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and all municipalities in Ontario.”
Regards,
Sarah Matheson Deputy Clerk Township of Blandford-Blenheim
City of Port Colborne - re: Resolution supporting the Township of Blandf... Page 29 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 13.
The following resolution was passed by the Council of the Township of Conmee at its regular meeting on January 26th 2021:
Resolution No. 2021-022 Moved by: Councillor Arnold Seconded by: Councillor MacMaster
WHEREAS duly elected Officials of a Municipality, or a Township are expected to be above reproach and to conduct themselves with integrity, truth, justice, honesty, transparency and courtesy.
AND WHEREAS there are people of dubious character who have a Criminal Record, having been convicted of a Federal Offence of any of the Federal Statutes of Canada, but not limited to the Criminal Code or Narcotic Control Act, who are currently on Council of a Municipality or have let their name stand for election for Mayor, Reeve or Councillor as a municipal candidate.
NOT WITHSTANDING the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Township of Conmee lobby the Provincial Government to amend The Municipal Act and Municipal Elections Act, as may be, so that people with a criminal record who have not had their record cleared from the RCMP Data Base by order of the Governor General of Canada, be prohibited from becoming a candidate in municipal elections.
AND THAT an elected local government official be disqualified from office upon conviction of a serious criminal offense and must resign
AND THAT Council of the Township of Conmee direct the Clerk to send a copy of this resolution to the Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Attorney General Doug Downey, Solicitor-General Sylvia Jones, Minister of Municipal Affairs Steve Clark, Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Rural Ontario Municipal Association, Northern Ontario Municipal Association, Thunder Bay District Municipal League, MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell, and all Ontario municipalities CARRIED
Township of Conmee - re: Resolution requesting Support to Amend the Muni...Page 30 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 14.
CORPORATIONOF THE TOWNSHIP OF NORTH GLENGARRY
Resolution# Q Date: Monday, January 25, 2021
Movedby: Jacques Massie Seconded by: Brenda Noble
THAT the Council of the Township of North Glengarry request that the Province of Ontario allow for small businesses to immediately reopen with the required health guidelines and protocols in place; and
THAT this resolution be sent to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, MPP Jim McDonell, and circulated to all municipalities in Ontario.
Carried Deferred Defeated Depu Mayorl
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COVID-19 Update for Partners February 17, 2021 Key messages from Dr. Gardner Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Case Status Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Vaccine Data Local Media Updates Provincial, National and Global COVID-19 Case Status Provincial, National and Global Updates SMDHU Resources Credible Sources of Information Key messages from Dr. Gardner, Medical Officer of Health Simcoe Muskoka is in RED – CONTROL level classification • Even though the stay-at-home order has been lifted, our messaging has not changed. Staying home is still the best way to protect yourself and others. Simcoe Muskoka residents are strongly advised to: o Stay home as much as possible except for essential reasons; o Avoid social gatherings and limit close contacts to your household; o Screen daily for COVID-19 symptoms if attending school, childcare, or work; o Work from home if possible, and allow your employees to work from home if they can, and; o Avoid all travel except for essential reasons. • We strongly encourage Simcoe Muskoka businesses to remain vigilant in your efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19. • Employers should continue to consult with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) and their local municipality to ensure familiarity with the current laws and recommendations. • Our Operating Businesses Safely webpage is continuously being updated to reflect current information and guidance regulations. Revised Class Section 22 to regional Long-Term Care (LTC) Homes • Class Section 22 Order has been updated requiring additional screening to be completed by essential visitors and staff at LTC homes upon entry to the facility. • Additional screening required includes an assessment of whether any members of the same household are symptomatic with COVID-19 compatible signs and symptoms. • If active screening identifies any current household members as symptomatic, the staff or essential visitor shall be excluded from the facility until the symptomatic household member(s) has provided proof of negative COVID-19 test results to the facility. If a test is not taken, staff or essential visitors cannot enter facility until 24 days have passed from the onset of symptoms in the household member. 1 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 39 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 1. Vaccine rollout update • We continue to provide immunization to priority populations in Simcoe Muskoka in collaboration with local partners. • The priority populations we have focused on vaccinating during Phase 1 include: residents, staff and essential caregivers in LTC, retirement homes, and First Nations elder care homes as well as healthcare staff in hospitals. • First-dose immunizations for remaining retirement homes and the four First Nations communities in Simcoe Muskoka will be completed during the week of February 21. Next priority populations for first-dose vaccination • We are actively planning for mass immunization clinics in collaboration with local partners in anticipation of receiving more vaccine supply in March. • Community vaccination clinics will be ready to open March 1 in six regional areas: Barrie, Orillia, North Simcoe, Muskoka, South Simcoe, and South Georgian Bay. • Community clinics will begin by focusing on vaccinating individuals remaining in the Phase 1 priority populations outlined above, as well as those in the following groups: o Adults 80 years of age and older; o Staff, residents and caregivers in other congregate care settings for seniors (e.g., assisted living); o All Indigenous adults; o Adult recipients of chronic home care, and; o Healthcare workers in the high priority level, in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s Guidance on Health Care Worker Prioritization. Guidance on the use of masks • Our guidance on masking has not changed. We continue to align with the recommendations from Public Health Ontario and the Public Health Agency of Canada: o To be effective, masks should be tightly fitting over the nose and under the chin. o It is recommended that masks have three layers to provide good protection. o Always wear a mask in indoor pubic settings and anytime you cannot maintain a two metres distance from others. • It is important to continue with all other precautions such as regular handwashing, avoiding public settings, monitoring symptoms and staying home if you are unwell, self- isolating and assessing symptoms to determine if you need to be tested. Previous media briefings are on the SMDHU Facebook page and YouTube channel. Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Case Status (As of February 17, 2021 14:00) Total Cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 6,028 650 5,156 180 In the last day: • 34 people tested positive, 50 people recovered, and there was 1 new death. Since the last Partner Update: • We have reported 218 new cases, 11 new deaths, and 300 recoveries. • So far this week there have been 80 new cases reported to the health unit. • There are 94 fewer active cases. There are currently: • 25 people hospitalized. 2 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 40 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 1. • 19 ongoing outbreaks (institutional settings: 11, workplace settings: 6, educational settings: 1, community settings: 1). • The current percent positivity rate in Simcoe County is 2.0% and 0.3% in the District of Muskoka compared to the provincial percent positivity rate of 2.3%. • The weekly percent positivity is currently highest among those 10-19 years of age, at 4.2% the week of February 7, down from 6.6% the week of January 31. • To date, 160 local cases have tested positive for the UK B.1.1.7 variant (with 7 new cases since yesterday) and an additional 154 cases have screened positive (awaiting confirmatory testing). • Because variants of concern are more contagious, we need to be even more vigilant in our measures against COVID-19. The measures are the same: physical distancing, mask wearing, daily screening of symptoms, testing and self-isolation when one has symptoms, and staying home at this time except for essential activities. For more local data, see: SMDHU COVID-19 HealthSTATS page and the COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard. Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Vaccine* Data (As of February 17, 2021 14:00) Total doses administered Doses administered previous day 28,485 0 • 5,419 immunizations have been provided since the last Partner Update. • 2,942 (92%) LTC residents and 2,516 (69%) retirement home residents have received their first dose. • More than 12,000 individuals have received both of the required doses of the vaccine, mainly healthcare workers in local hospitals, LTC and retirement homes. * Vaccine administration data is for North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN area only (which does not include Bradford, Adjala Tosorontio, and New Tecumseth). Vaccinations in South Simcoe area are being administered by Southlake Regional Health Centre. Local Media Updates (Since February 10, 2021 Partner Update) • Workshop to help employers support employee mental health during COVID (article) • County of Simcoe paramedics on frontlines of emergency response (press release) • Ingenuity overshadows pandemic at Collingwood Youth Centre (article) • How COVID-19 is shaping mental health in Barrie, Simcoe County (article) • Muskoka on alert as first probable COVID-19 variant of concern case detected (article) • Mental strain from Roberta Place causes PSW to recall ‘the moment I fell apart’ (article) • One week in: COVID-19 confirmed in two Simcoe County schools (article) • Grey Bruce proposes hockey rinks for mass vaccination hubs (article) • Almost $1.4 million in funding to transform public spaces into COVID-safe places (article) • Local union official says March break delay is ‘heartbreaking’ (article) • Two staff test positive for COVID-19 at Bayshore HealthCare facility in Barrie (article) • Vaccine shortages ‘scary for all of us,’ says frustrated Orillia senior (article) • Lessons local health care providers can learn from the Roberta Place outbreak (article) 3 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 41 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 1. Provincial, National and Global COVID-19 Case Status Ontario (As of February 17, 2021, 10:30) Total cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 288,583 10,985 270,869 6,729 As of today: • There were 847 new cases, 1,456 resolved cases, and 10 deaths in the last day. • There are a total of 338 confirmed cases of the UK variant, 6 cases of the South African variant, and 1 case of the Brazilian variant. • A total of 719 people are hospitalized for COVID-19, 298 people are in intensive care units (ICU) and 211 people are on ventilators. • There are 295 ongoing outbreaks in health care settings (156 in LTC, 92 in retirement homes, and 47 in hospitals). • The current effective reproduction number is 0.83. In the last week: • There have been 7,017 new cases, 9,169 recoveries, and 133 deaths. • There are 2,285 fewer active cases compared to the same day last week. • The average number of weekly cases is 1,002. Vaccines: • A total of 489,484 vaccines doses have been administered to date, with 9,107 doses administered yesterday. • 195,366 people in Ontario have been fully vaccinated. Regional updates: Areas with the highest number of active cases per 100,000 population: • Peel (178.69), Toronto (139.00), York (85.50), and Brant (84.48). Areas with the highest number of active cases: • Toronto (3,797), Peel (2,469), York (949), Ottawa (485), and Halton (402). For more provincial data, see: Ontario COVID-19 case data, Public Health Ontario Data Tool, Daily Epidemiologic Summaries and Weekly Epidemiologic Summaries Canada (As of February 16, 2021 at 19:00 EDT) Total Cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 831,577 35,669 774,511 21,397 Yesterday: • Canada reported 2,388 new cases and 54 deaths. • New cases were reported in all provinces and territories except PEI, YT, and NWT. • Deaths were reported in BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, and NB. Since the last Partner Update: • In the last week 20,780 people tested positive for COVID-19, 488 people died and 23,802 people recovered. • There are 3,510 less people with active cases of COVID-19 in the country than there was a week ago. Between February 2 and February 9: • The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized decreased from 2,808 to 2,304. 4 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 42 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 1. • The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds decreased from 751 to 657. • The number of COVID-19 patients mechanically vented decreased from 437 to 373. Weekly epidemiology update: January 31-February 6: • New cases decreased by 20% compared to the previous week, with an average of 3,718 new cases every day. • New deaths decreased by 21% compared to the previous week, with an average of 109 new deaths every day. • Daily case rates are highest among those 20-29 and 30-39 years of age. • The number of hospitalizations has decreased, while ICU admissions have remained stable since early January 2021. • According to forecasting, between 821,500 to 868,910 cumulative reported cases and 21,350 to 22,200 deaths are expected by February 21, 2021. Key vaccine updates: As of February 6, 2021 • 2.43% of the population has received at least one dose, including: o 11.57% of adults 80 or older who have received at least one dose; o 55.35% of health care workers targeted for priority vaccination who have received at least one dose, and; o 52.74% of adults living in group living settings for seniors who have received at least one dose. • 0.46% of population have received both required doses of the vaccine. For more national data, see: National daily epidemiology updates and National weekly epidemiology report Global (As of February 17, 2021 at 11:03 CET) Confirmed Cases Confirmed Deaths 109,068,745 2,409,011 In the last day: • There were 304,596 new cases and 7,218 deaths. • The U.S., Brazil, Russia, India, and Indonesia reported the most new cases and the U.S., Germany, Brazil, Russia, and Mexico reported the most deaths. In the past week: • Over 2.7 million new cases and 83,729 deaths were reported. • The U.S., Brazil, France, Russia, and the U.K. reported the most new cases and the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., and Germany reported the most new deaths. Highlights from Weekly Epidemiological Summary as of February 14, 2021: • The number of global new cases continues to fall. Last week, five WHO regions reported a 10% or greater decline in new cases, while one region, the Eastern Mediterranean, reported a 7% increase in new cases. • The number of new deaths declined globally by 10% compared to the previous week. New deaths declined in all six WHO regions. For more international data, see: WHO COVID-19 Disease Dashboard and Weekly Epidemiological and Operational Updates 5 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 43 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 1. Provincial, National and Global Updates (Since Feb. 10, 2021 Partner Update) Provincial Updates The Ontario Government: • Expands eligibility for Main Street Relief Grant (news release) • Improves farm safety for agri-food workers during COVID-19 (news release) • Continues unprecedented COVID-19 response during legislative sitting (news release) • Returns 27 public health regions to COVID-19 response framework (news release) • Deploys rapid tests to more essential workplaces and settings (news release) • Prioritizes health care workers for COVID-19 vaccination (guidance document) • Retailers show improvement in complying with public health guidelines (news release) Public Health Ontario published: • Factors Affecting COVID-19 Communicability – What We Know So Far (synthesis) • COVID-19 B.1.351 (501Y.V2) Variant of Concern – What We Know So Far (synthesis) • COVID-19 P.1 Variant of Concern – What We Know So Far (synthesis) • Evidence on Public Health Measures for Rapid Control of Variants of Concern (synthesis) • SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern: Results of Point Prevalence Study (summary report) • Using COVID-19 Data to Inform Reopening Decision-making in the Context of Variants of Concern (evidence brief) • Trends of COVID-19 Incidence in Ontario (surveillance report) • COVID-19 in Ontario: January 31 to February 6, 2021 (weekly epidemiological summary) • Adverse Events Following Immunization for COVID-19 in Ontario (summary report) Other Provincial News: • Health minister says Ontario not ready to release more detailed vaccine timeline (article) • Government working on ‘triggers’ for emergency brake as businesses reopen (article) • Ontario’s hospitals saw more patients, death during second wave of COVID-19 (article) • New test detects COVID-19 variants in Ontario (article) • Ford defends Ontario’s reopening plan as stay-at-home order lifts for 27 regions (article) • Web portal in the works for Ontario COVID-19 vaccine appointments (article) • Adults 80 and over among next priority groups for vaccination in Ontario (article) • Ontario governments partly at fault for ‘heartbreaking’ Roberta Place outbreak (article) • Ontario to increase use of rapid COVID-19 testing in schools and LTC homes (article) • Complaints grow of ‘disturbing’ queue jumping for vaccines in care homes (article) • Teachers, education unions criticize government’s move to delay March break (article) • Delays in COVID-19 vaccination exacted a toll on nursing home residents (article) • Finance minister projects deficits for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19 (article) • All Ontario’s local medical officers ask government to reinstate paid sick leave (article) National Updates The Government of Canada: • COVID-19 Update for Indigenous Peoples and communities (news release) • International Monetary Fund praises Canada’s COVID-19 economic response plan (news release) • Negotiates accelerated delivery schedule for Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (news release) • Invests $53 million to address COVID-19 virus variants of concern (news release) • Expands restrictions to international travel by land and air (news release). See also the backgrounder on additional testing and quarantine requirements for travel to Canada. • To invest $100 million to support women impacted by pandemic (news release) 6 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 44 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 1. • Statements from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada: February 12, February 13, February 14, February 15, February 17 Other National News: • Politicians point fingers over lack of vaccine, experts say problem is long-term (article) • Racialized adults should be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination (article) • Frustrated with government efforts, businesses push plan to avoid lockdowns (article) • Reports of domestic, intimate partner violence continue to rise during pandemic (article) • Pharmacies ready to help administer COVID-19 vaccines across Canada (article) • Pandemic has affected the mental health of 76% of Canadians, survey suggests (article) • The daunting math of goal to have all Canadians vaccinated by September (article) • New rules in effect for travelers entering Canada at land border crossings (article) • Patients receiving treatment abroad exempt from testing, quarantine rules (article) • Hotel quarantine measures for air travelers come into effect February 22 (article) • Increased cases of COVID variants spell potential third wave, Tam warns (article) • Government missed out on an offer of N95 masks at start of pandemic (article) • Canadian scientists’ quest to develop vaccine that fights all types of coronavirus (article) • Provinces to boost COVID vaccination as Pfizer deliveries expected to ramp up (article) • Contagious variant of COVID-19 now identified in all 10 provinces (article) • Nearly two-thirds of Canadians trust COVID-19 vaccines to be safe and effective (article) Global Updates The World Health Organization (WHO): • Statement on emergency use listing for AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine (news release) • Director General continues to emphasize that “we need to scale up [vaccine] production… rapid and equitable rollout of vaccines globally is essential for saving lives and stabilizing health systems.” (Remarks at February 15 media briefing) • Stresses the need for improved response to mental health impact of public health emergencies (feature story) • Director General notes that the WHO is working to “advance our understanding of what is officially called post-COVID-19 condition, or ‘long COVID.’ We expect many people to be affected by post-COVID-19 condition.” (Remarks at February 12 media briefing) • Special Focus: Global influenza surveillance and response system (Weekly Epidemiological Update p.4-5) • Special Focus: Update on SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (Weekly Epidemiological Update p.6-8) • The Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know (feature story) Other International News: • Experts caution against Moderna study that suggests half doses effective (article) • Inequality of vaccine access to be debated by G7 and UN Security Council (article) • Global COVID-19 cases have dropped by half, experts looking for explanations (article) • How Britain became a world leader in COVID-19 vaccine distribution (article) • When the next pandemic hits, scientists aim to have a vaccine ready (article) SMDHU Resources • SMDHU COVID-19 HealthSTATS page • SMDHU Vulnerable Populations for COVID-19 Response Interactive Map highlights vulnerable populations in Simcoe Muskoka. • Current COVID-19 information is available on our website. Recent changes include: 7 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 45 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 1. o Main COVID - Added information on Simcoe Muskoka being in the Red – Control zone and linked to Ontario’s COVID-19 Response Framework . Updated content in expander bar “Close contact, gatherings and events” . Updated “Local example of COVID-19 spread” o Stop the Spread . Updated content in expander bar “How to attend a wedding, funeral or religious ceremony safely” o Assessment Centres and Testing . Updated Midland assessment centre hours of operation o Operating your Business Safely - Added information on Simcoe Muskoka being in the Red – Control zone and linked to Ontario’s COVID-19 Response Framework . Updated the following expander bars to include new Red – Control guidance documents: Resources for All Employers and Workplaces, Curling Clubs, Day Camps, Food Operators, Ice Hut Operators, Licensed Child Care, Personal Service Settings, and Recreational Water Facilities . Updated document “FAQ - Wearing masks or face coverings within enclosed public spaces” o Partners and Municipalities - Added information on Simcoe Muskoka being in the Red – Control zone and linked to Ontario’s COVID-19 Response Framework . Added new expander bar “Outdoor Recreational Amenities (including ski hills and trails)” . Updated the following expander bars to include new Red – Control guidance documents: Day Camps, Farmers’ Markets, Food Banks and Donation Centres, Outdoor Ice Surfaces/Rinks and Outdoor Skating Trails, Places of Worship, Shelter Services, and Warming Centres o Enforcement and Complaints . Two business charges added to the “Summary of SMDHU Enforcement Actions” table . Updated content in expander bar “Complaints about gatherings” o New HealthFAXes: . COVID-19 Vaccine: Update #6 – Updated Vaccination Sequencing for Phase One Priority Populations . COVID-19: Update #29 – UK Variant: Revised Mitigation Strategies for Community Spread • SMDHU Health Connection responds to calls and emails about COVID-19. Contact Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 ext. 5829 or via email. Health Connection Hours: o Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Credible Sources of Information • Ontario Ministry of Health • Public Health Ontario • Government of Canada • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • World Health Organization 8 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 46 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2. COVID-19 Update for Partners February 10, 2021 Key messages from Dr. Gardner Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Case Status Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Vaccine Data Local Media Updates Provincial, National and Global COVID-19 Case Status Provincial, National and Global Updates SMDHU Resources Credible Sources of Information Key messages from Dr. Gardner, Medical Officer of Health Enforcement blitz • An enforcement blitz was held in Simcoe Muskoka from February 5-8 in partnership with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development and municipalities. 33 ministry enforcers, 24 municipal bylaw officers, 11 public health inspectors and tobacco enforcement officers, and 6 police departments were involved in this blitz. • The inspections were designed to ensure businesses are in compliance with the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act and the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. • Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) inspectors completed 170 inspections and issued 14 tickets. The most common infractions included: lack of employee screening, lack of signage indicating capacity limits, lack of a COVID-19 workplace safety plan, and cleaning/disinfection failings. We are awaiting final counts from inspections completed by ministry and municipal enforcers. Return-to-school • In-class learning resumed on February 8, something that I have called for as important for children’s overall health and education. Return-to-school will be carefully managed, with additional safety measures in place, given the concerns with the UK variant in our region. • Masking is now required for all students in Grades 1-12 and we strongly encourage masking for JK/SK students who can tolerate it. However, school boards need to be able to set their own direction and we support their decisions. Many school boards have required JK-Grade 12 masking since September and it has been well tolerated. COVID-19 variant concerns • The UK B.1.1.7 variant is here and we expect it to become the dominant strain of COVID- 19. The same public health safety precautions continue to be so important to prevent and reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and the variants of concern. • We are now publishing daily the confirmed B.1.1.7 variant and positive variant cases on our HealthSTATs webpage. 1 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 47 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2. • Public Health Ontario completed a one-day study about the COVID-19 variants of concern. Preliminary results show that 89 of 140 (63.6%) COVID-19 test samples from Simcoe Muskoka were positive for the B.1.1.7 variant. Eighty seven out of 89 of these tests were tied to known outbreaks. Additional results are expected once final results are completed. • We are now working in partnership with the City of Barrie, Ministry of the Environment, the University of Ottawa, and the CHEO Research Institute on a wastewater surveillance initiative to test wastewater for COVID-19. As of Friday, it was confirmed that a variant was found in samples taken from Barrie’s main wastewater treatment centre. Other municipalities are joining the wastewater surveillance initiative moving forward. Vaccination update • The Barrie COVID-19 Immunization Clinic reopened the last week of January and, as of last Monday, began to provide dose two to staff and essential caregivers of long-term care (LTC) and retirement homes. • Our mobile immunization teams began providing dose two to residents of LTC and retirement homes as of February 5. Numbers detailing our vaccination efforts can be found on our HealthSTATS webpage. • We continue to plan with our local partners to ensure that we are ready to roll out the vaccine to our communities. As soon as more vaccine is available, we will focus on immunizing the following priority groups: remaining retirement home residents, LTC and retirement home staff and essential caregivers, hospital healthcare workers, and local First Nation communities. Colour-coded framework for reopening in Ontario • The current stay-at-home order is being amended and individual orders for each public health region will be made, subject to review of the trends in public health indicators. The stay-at-home order for our region remains in place until February 16, with some exceptions. • Even when we do transition to the colour-coded framework, it is important to remember that this is not a reopening or a ‘return to normal.’ It is essential to continue following public health and workplace safety measures including staying at home as much as possible and not engaging in any social gatherings with people outside of your household. Previous media briefings are on the SMDHU Facebook page and YouTube channel. Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Case Status (As of February 10, 2021 14:00) Total Cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 5,810 744 4,856 169 In the last day: • 25 people tested positive, 96 people recovered, and there were no new deaths. Since the last Partner Update: • We have reported 262 new cases, 10 new deaths, and 472 recoveries. • So far this week there have been 77 new cases reported to the health unit. • There are 224 fewer active cases. There are currently: • 32 people hospitalized. 2 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 48 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2. • 23 ongoing outbreaks (institutional settings: 13, workplace settings: 6, educational settings: 2, community settings: 1, congregate settings: 1). • The current percent positivity rate in Simcoe County is 2.3% and 0.4% in the District of Muskoka compared to the provincial percent positivity rate of 3.0%. • The weekly percent positivity is now highest among those ≤9 years of age, at 9.5% the week of January 31, compared to 4.8% the week of January 24. • To date, 133 local cases have tested positive for the UK B.1.1.7 variant (with no new cases since yesterday) and an additional 86 cases have screened positive (awaiting confirmatory testing). • Because variants of concern are more contagious, we need to be even more vigilant in our measures against COVID-19. The measures are the same: physical distancing, mask wearing, daily screening of symptoms, testing and self-isolation when one has symptoms, and staying home at this time except for essential activities. For more local data, see: SMDHU COVID-19 HealthSTATS page and the COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard. Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Vaccine* Data (As of February 10, 2021 14:00) Total doses administered Doses administered previous day 23,066 897 • 5,329 immunizations have been provided since the last Partner Update. • 2,886 (90%) LTC residents and 2,375 (65%) retirement home residents have received their first dose. • More than 7,000 individuals have received both of the required doses of the vaccine, mainly healthcare workers in local hospitals, LTC and retirement homes. Local Media Updates (Since February 3, 2021 Partner Update) • Relaxed stay-at-home orders may spark surge in COVID cases (article) • COVID outbreak involving Collingwood residents includes possible link to variant (article) • Waypoint’s COVID-19 outbreak toll continues rising (article) • One month into Roberta Place outbreak, no new cases or deaths being reported (article) • Still lots of question marks as area ski resorts ramp up for opening day (article) • Big-box store weekend inspection blitz in Simcoe Muskoka (article) • ‘I think it is still too soon’: Parents share back-to-school concerns (article) • What you need to know about returning to in-class learning (article) • ‘They’re terrified’: Isolation impacts Collingwood residents during lockdown (article) • COVID outbreak declared in RVH’s cancer palliative unit (article) • Stay-at-home order extended in Simcoe County (article) • The impact of the pandemic on our mental health: Orillia's hospital shines a light (article) • County of Simcoe Paramedic Services receives funding for COVID-19 response (article) • Collingwood health care agency part of province's rapid COVID-19 test pilot (article) Provincial, National and Global COVID-19 Case Status Ontario (As of February 10, 2021, 10:30) Total cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 281,566 13,270 261,700 6,596 As of today: • There were 1,072 new cases, 1,709 resolved cases, and 41 deaths in the last day. 3 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 49 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2. • There are 3,378 fewer active cases compared to the same day last week. • A total of 228 cases of the UK variant have been reported as well as three cases of the South African variant. • A total of 948 people are hospitalized, 313 are in intensive care units (ICU) and 226 are on ventilators. • There are 376 ongoing outbreaks in health care settings (208 in LTC, 109 in RH, 59 in hospitals). • The current effective reproduction number is 0.9. In the last week: • There have been 9,469 new cases, 12,719 recoveries, and 291 deaths. • The average number of weekly cases is 1,353. Vaccines: • Yesterday 13,486 doses of vaccine were administered, with a total of 412,119 doses administered. • 125,575 people in Ontario are fully vaccinated having received both immunizations. Regional updates: Areas with the highest number of active cases per 100,000 population: • Peel (218.49), Toronto (176.46), and Chatham-Kent (119.56). Areas with the highest number of active cases: • Toronto (4,820), Peel (3,019), York (1,024), Halton (545), and Ottawa (481). For more provincial data, see: Ontario COVID-19 case data, Public Health Ontario Data Tool, Daily Epidemiologic Summaries and Weekly Epidemiologic Summaries Canada (As of February 9, 2021 at 19:00 EDT) Total Cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 810,797 39,179 750,709 20,909 • In the last week over 24,000 people tested positive for COVID-19, almost 700 people died and over 34,000 people recovered. • There are over 10,000 less people with active cases of COVID-19 in the country than there was a week ago. Yesterday: • Canada reported 2,677 new cases and 74 deaths. • New cases were reported in all provinces and territories except YT and NU. • Deaths were reported in BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, and NB. Between January 25 and February 1: • The number COVID-19 patients hospitalized decreased from 3,356 to 2,576. • The number COVID-19 patients in ICU beds decreased from 844 to 726 beds. • The number of COVID-19 patients mechanically vented decreased from 484 to 408. Weekly update: January 24-30: • New cases decreased by 20% compared to the previous week, with an average of 4,628 new cases every day. • The average number of deaths reported each day decreased to 138. 4 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 50 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2. • Case rates remain highest amongst those 20 to 29 years of age and those 80 years of age and older. • Hospitalizations decreased, while ICU admissions remained stable since early January. • According to forecasting, between 804,630 to 847,410 cumulative reported cases and 20,860 to 22,160 deaths are expected by February 14, 2021. Key Vaccine Updates: As of January 30, 2021 • % of population who has received at least one dose: 2.29% o % of adults 80 or older who have received at least one dose: 10.84% o % of health care workers targeted for priority vaccination who have received at least one dose: 52.00% o % of adults living in group living settings for seniors: 48.25% • % of population who has received two doses: 0.30% For more national data, see: National daily epidemiology updates and National weekly epidemiology report Global (As of February 10, 2021 at 10:13am CET) Confirmed Cases Confirmed Deaths 106,321,987 2,325,282 In the last day: • There were 296,724 new cases and 8,680 deaths. • The U.S., Brazil, Russia, the UK, and India reported the most new cases and the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Russia, and Germany reported the most deaths. In the past week: • Over 3.1 million new cases and 87,646 deaths were reported. • The U.S., Brazil, France, the UK, and Russia reported the most new cases and the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, the UK, and Germany had the most new deaths. Highlights from Weekly Epidemiological Summary as of February 7, 2021: • For the last four weeks there has been a decline in new global cases reported, with the number of global cases now over 100 million. Last week, all WHO regions reported a decline in cases, with five out of six regions reporting more than 10% decreases. • The number of new deaths declined globally by 10% compared to the previous week. New deaths declined in all regions, except the Western Pacific where deaths remained stable. For more international data, see: WHO COVID-19 Disease Dashboard and Weekly Epidemiological and Operational Updates Provincial, National and Global Updates (Since Feb. 3, 2021 Partner Update) Provincial Updates The Ontario Government: • Third quarter finances demonstrate unwavering commitment to protect individuals, families, and businesses (news release) • Extends off-peak electricity rates to relieve families, businesses, farms (news release) • Is supporting COVID-19 response in high priority communities (news release) • Is extending stay-at-home order across most of the province to save lives (news release) • Is helping keep seniors safe and connected during COVID-19 (news release) 5 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 51 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2. • Increases mental health funding for postsecondary students (news release) • Invests in affordable housing for Indigenous People (news release) • Opens applications open for its new Skill Development Fund (news release) • Supports air monitoring technology to protect people from COVID-19 (news release) Public Health Ontario published: • COVID-19 Herd Immunity – What We Know So Far (synthesis) • Trends of COVID-19 Incidence in Ontario (surveillance report) • COVID-19 in Ontario: Focus on January 24-30, 2021 (weekly epidemiological summary) • SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern: Interim Results of Point Prevalence Study (report) • COVID-19 Regional Incidence and Time to Case Notification in Ontario (report) • Association of Vitamin D Status with COVID-19 Incidence and Outcomes (rapid review) Other Provincial News: • Ontario Finance Minister says all COVID-19 contingency funds spent (article) • Provinces must be ready to lock down quickly: Tam (article) • Medical officers in some COVID-19 hot spots push back against reopening plan (article) • Province’s reopening plan could create ‘confusion,’ says Ontario Chamber (article) • Ontario to begin gradual reopening of economy, but ‘we can’t return to normal’ (article) • Education minister considering cancelling March break to curb COVID spread (article) • Parents raise concerns over plan to reopen schools in COVID-19 hot spots (article) • Ontario is building a web portal for mass COVID vaccination (article) • COVID-19 patients are the first to access new Vaughan hospital (article) • Pharmacists say they could administer a million vaccinations a week (article) • Ontario allows pet groomers to reopen (article) • Is restricting regional travel a realistic COVID-19 measure for Ontario? (article includes comment from Dr. Gardner) • All positive COVID tests in Ontario now screened for variant strains (article) National Updates The Government of Canada: • Statements from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada: February 4, February 6, February 8 • Updates COVID Alert to evaluate its effectiveness in reducing virus spread (news release) • Launches intake for COVID-19 resilient projects under the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative (news release) • Issues label change authorization for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (statement) • Addresses CERB repayments for self-employed individuals and announces interest relief on 2020 income tax debt due to COVID-19 related income support (news release) • Announces one-year ban for pleasure craft and cruise vessels (news release) • COVID-19 Update for Indigenous Peoples and communities (news release) Other National News: • Most international travelers still exempt from new COVID hotel quarantine rules (article) • Despite delays and reductions, Trudeau says COVID vaccine plan ‘on track’ (article) • As Canadian COVID cases drop by 30%, officials call for continued vigilance (article) • Virtual hub will provide info to First Nations, Inuit, Métis about COVID vaccines (article) • Negative COVID-19 test to be required for people entering Canada by land (article) • How Canada is trying to stop people from importing COVID-19 (article) • Canada’s health-care system readies for next phase of COVID-19 vaccination (article) • Health Canada says Pfizer’s vaccine vials can be stretched to six doses (article) 6 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 52 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2. • Early evidence suggests vaccines halting COVID outbreaks in nursing homes (article) • Canada doesn't know how many more Moderna doses will be delivered, or why there are delays (article) • What you need to know about the latest medical guidance on mask-wearing (article) • Canada boosts vaccine order by tapping global pool originally set up for poorer nations (article) • COVID-19 vaccines are ‘ethically justified’ for pregnant, breastfeeding women (article) • Few resources for COVID-19 long-haulers, new app offers hope (article) • Oxford says vaccine could curb not only illness but also spread of COVID-19 (article) Global Updates The World Health Organization (WHO): • In the COVID-19 vaccine race, we either win together or lose together (news release) • Director General identifies the need for a “massive scale-up in [vaccine] production… having received substantial public funding, we encourage all manufacturers to share their data and technology to ensure global equitable access to vaccines.” (Remarks at Feb. 5th media briefing) • WHO launches free OpenWHO.org training on rehabilitation for COVID-19 (article) • Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine and the new viral South African variant (news update) • Director General continues to emphasize “Vaccine equity must therefore be our top priority, not only across countries, but also within societies… Until we end the pandemic everywhere, we will not end it anywhere.” (Opening Remarks at Arab Group of Ambassadors briefing) WHO published: • Special Focus: How COVAX is distributing the first COVID-=19 vaccines to prioritized countries in all six WHO regions (Weekly Epidemiological Update: special focus p.4-5) • Special Focus: Update on SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (Weekly Epidemiological Update: special focus p.6-13) • New videos on how to monitor and prevent COVID-19 long-term effects (videos) • COVAX statement on new variants of SARS-CoV-2 (statement) Other International news: • WHO investigators conclude coronavirus didn’t originate in Chinese lab (article) • Facebook bans misinformation about vaccines and COVID-19 (article) • AstraZeneca vaccine backed by governments despite questions over efficacy (article) • WHO panel calls for world to bolster pandemic warning systems, after Canada’s GPHIN curtailed (article) • Iceland’s ‘COVID-19 passport’ offers preview of debate over post-vaccine travel (article) SMDHU Resources • SMDHU COVID-19 HealthSTATS page • SMDHU Vulnerable Populations for COVID-19 Response Interactive Map highlights vulnerable populations in Simcoe Muskoka. • Current COVID-19 information is available on our website. o New HealthFaxes - None • SMDHU Health Connection responds to calls and emails about COVID-19. Contact Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 ext. 5829 or via email. Health Connection Hours: o Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 7 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 53 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 2. Credible Sources of Information • Ontario Ministry of Health • Public Health Ontario • Government of Canada • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • World Health Organization 8 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 54 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 3. The DECIBEL COALITION BACKGROUND PAPER FOR MUNICIPAL COUNCILLORS AND STAFF The Decibel Coalition was established by Safe Quiet Lakes (“SQL”) in November 2019 with the objective to have the Small Vessel Regulation SOR-2010-91 enhanced by the Federal Government/Transport Canada to include decibel limits on the amount of noise from boat motors and provisions for effective and easy enforcement procedures. The Coalition operates under the umbrella and with administrative and website support of SQL. A committee of 8 including 2 from outside Ontario runs the Coalition on behalf of its members. Safe Quiet Lakes (SQL) is a volunteer organization in Muskoka. Their objective is to make the Muskoka lakes safer and quieter to ensure the sustainable enjoyment of a treasured shared resource through education and advocacy. www.safequiet.ca . Excessive boat noise is a persistent, pervasive and growing problem on Canadian waterways. From Lake Memphremegog in Quebec through cottage country in Ontario and out to lakes Okanagan, Salmon Arm and Shuswap in BC the increase in the number of high performance boats with little or no mufflers is spoiling the cottage experience. SQL has done two extensive surveys of cottager’s attitudes regarding various issues. The most recent was done in 2017. It found that support for stronger enforcement of muffler regulations (67%) and enacting decibel limits through legislation (61%) were two of the top 4 issues to enjoying the boating experience. Jurisdiction of Canadian waterways is with the Federal government. Provincial and Municipalities are without means to address issues that affect many of their constituents. . Interestingly enough a number of municipalities in western Canada have passed bylaws out of frustration from excessive boat motor noise. These include Regional District of Central, Okanagan, City of Vernon, City of Penticton and Cowichan Valley Regional District. Others have taken an approach based on awareness and communication recognizing their jurisdictional limits. The Small Vessel Regulation requires most boats to have a working muffler. But the definition of muffler is difficult to enforce and police agencies have, for the most part, stopped enforcing it. The regulations do require muffler diverters to be visibly disengaged so that they cannot be Decibel Coalition - re: Correspondence regarding Background Paper for Mu...Page 55 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 3. used while operating the boat. Sanctioned races, boats built before Jan 1 1960 and boats operating 5 NM or more from shore are exempt from having mufflers. In the United States, over 27 states have laws that set limits on the amount of noise from boat motors. Those limits are set in decibels and are usually accompanied by efficient and effective enforcement procedures. Many are based on the Model Noise Act which was established by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and is supported by National Marine Manufacturers Association. There are two internationally accepted standards for measuring boat motor noise on the water: SAE J1970 Shoreline Sound Level Measurement Procedure for Recreational Motorboats and SAE J2005 Stationary Sound Level Measurement Procedure for Recreational Motorboats. Both of these standards are included in the Model Noise Act and used extensively in the USA. The Decibel Coalition believes that enhancement to the existing Transport Canada Regulations should include the basic elements of the Model Noise act using measurement procedures defined in SAE J1970 and J2005. The European Union has detailed legislation for construction and assembly standards to ensure that the noise emission remain within defined limits. The tests are defined by the standard ISO 14509. Importantly, the decibel limits in both the USA and the EU are essentially the same with some minor variation by state in the USA. To date the Decibel Coalition has 20 lake associations in three provinces: Ontario, BC and Quebec. These represent over 10,000 families. The Coalition, with the support of SQL, has close relationships with the Ontario Provincial Police, the NMMA, various municipal councils in Muskoka, active contacts in Boating BC, Boating Ontario, Canadian Safe Boating Council and contacts in Transport Canada. The committee meets every 2 weeks and has done so since inception. The committee has two strong members in each of BC and Quebec. The BC member is responsible for the provinces west of the Ontario boarder. In November 2020 Transport Canada made a presentation at the Canadian Marine Advisory Council (run by Transport Canada) where they opened up “the opportunity discuss and receive comments on possible options for the future” with regard to the Small Vessel Regulations relating to recreational boat motor muffler and sound. They recognize that “Noise emissions from pleasure craft have been a growing concern since the 1990s” and “Complaints from communities and the public about noise have continued over the years.” This is very encouraging news as it means the opportunity is ripe to move forward. The Coalition believes that participation and support by municipalities is an important factor in convincing Transport Canada and ultimately the Federal Government to enhance the regulations. Municipal support will give significant strength to the importance of this initiative. Decibel limits for boat motor noise with efficient and effective enforcement processes will give enforcement agencies efficient and effective tools to address those outliers who currently operate boats with excessive noise without check. Decibel Coalition - re: Correspondence regarding Background Paper for Mu...Page 56 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 3. The Decibel Coalition and SQL would like to request that your municipality join the Decibel Coalition and help in the goal to make the waterways in Canada a better experience for all. Decibel Coalition - re: Correspondence regarding Background Paper for Mu...Page 57 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 3. Draft Motion to officially and publically support the Decibel Coalition Resolution Number: xxx001 Resolution Date: Resolution: To officially become a member of Safe Quiet Lakes’ national Decibel Coalition Whereas: Safe Quiet Lakes has established the national Decibel Coalition of like-minded stakeholders called the “Decibel Coalition” and Whereas: The objective of the Decibel Coalition is to have the Small Vessel Regulation SOR-2010-91 enhanced by the Federal Government/Transport Canada to include decibel limits on the amount of noise from boat motors and provisions for effective and easy enforcement procedures and Whereas: Excessive noise from boat motor noise on our waterways has been a pervasive, persistent and growing problem for many years in the Your Municipality and Whereas: Jurisdiction of Canadian waterways is with the Federal Government and as such municipalities cannot make by-laws for our lakes and rivers and Whereas: The current legislation requires boat motors to have a working muffler but has no performance requirements for sound emissions measured in decibels limits and Whereas: Police are reluctant to lay charges with regards to the muffler law and Whereas: Transport Canada has recently opened the opportunity discuss and receive comments on possible options for changes to the Small Vessels Regulation with regards to boat muffler and sound emissions and Whereas: This municipality would welcome enactment of these improved regulations in the interests of our community Now, therefore be it resolved that: The Municipality will: • officially and publicly join as a member and support the Decibel Coalition and • allow the Decibel Coalition to use our name and logo and reference our membership in their communications with other governments, government agencies and committees, other Decibel Coalition Members and promotion of the Decibel Coalition’s objectives in social media and the press and • communicate about the Decibel Coalition to our community and encourage their support of the Decibel Coalition and • encourage other municipalities to join the Decibel Coalition Approved by: Date Approved: Decibel Coalition - re: Correspondence regarding Background Paper for Mu...Page 58 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 4. NEWS RELEASE MAHC Hosts Virtual Registered Nurses Career Fair (Monday, February 8, 2021, Muskoka, ON) – Are you a Registered Nurse looking for a rewarding hospital career working in beautiful Muskoka? Then Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s (MAHC) Career Fair for Registered Nurses is for you. MAHC is hosting a virtual recruitment fair through Zoom on Saturday, February 20, 2021 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Interested nurses are required to pre-register by Thursday, February 18, 2021 with an up-to-date résumé and cover letter at www.mahc.ca/RNjobfair/. “We will be interviewing potential recruits during the career fair, so be prepared to tell us about yourself over Zoom,” explains Robert Alldred-Hughes, Vice President, Operations & Chief Human Resources Officer. “We have permanent full-time, part-time and temporary RN positions available in acute care, including specialty areas in Obstetrics, Critical Care, Dialysis, Surgical Services, and Emergency. We are always recruiting first-class, patient-centred professionals and are excited to discuss the possibilities that await you here at MAHC.” -30- Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) is a multi-site health care organization accredited with exemplary standing that provides acute care services at the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital and South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge. Find out more about Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare by visiting www.mahc.ca. For more information or to arrange a media interview, please contact: Allyson Snelling, Corporate Communications Officer 705-789-2311 ext. 2544; [email protected] Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare - re: Correspondence regarding MAHC HostsPage V... 59 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5. COVID-19 Update for Partners February 3, 2021 Key messages from Dr. Gardner Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Case Status Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Vaccine Data Local Media Updates Provincial, National and Global COVID-19 Case Status Provincial, National and Global Updates SMDHU Resources Credible Sources of Information Key messages from Dr. Gardner, Medical Officer of Health • There are no media briefings from Dr. Gardner scheduled for the week of February 1 – 5, 2021. Previous media briefings are on the SMDHU Facebook page and YouTube channel. Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Case Status (As of February 3, 2021 14:00) Total Cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 5,548 968 4,384 159 In the last day: • 40 people tested positive, 156 people recovered and four people died. Since the last Partner Update: • We have reported over 300 new cases, 25 deaths over 450 recoveries. • So far this week there have been 99 new cases reported to the health unit. • There are 183 fewer active cases. There are currently: • 38 people hospitalized. • 25 ongoing outbreaks (institutional settings: 13, workplace settings: 9, educational settings: 3). • The current percent positivity rate in Simcoe County is 2.2% and 0.3% in the District of Muskoka compared to the provincial percent positivity rate of 3.8%. • The weekly percent positivity had been highest among youth 10-19 years of age, reaching a high of 7.2% the week of January 17 before dropping to 3.9% last week. • The weekly positivity rate remained stable among children under 10 years of age last week while dropping among all other age categories. 1 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 60 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5. • To date, 90 local cases have been tested positive for the COVID-19 variant of concern UK B.1.1.7 (up 39 from yesterday) and an additional 57 cases have screened positive (awaiting confirmatory testing). • Because variants of concern are more contagious, we need to be even more vigilant in our measures against COVID-19. The measures are the same: physical distancing, mask wearing, daily screening of symptoms, testing and self-isolation when one has symptoms, and staying home at this time except for essential activities such as grocery supplies. SMDHU COVID-19 HealthSTATS page and the COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Vaccine* Data (As of January 27, 2021 14:00) Total doses administered Doses administered previous day 17,737 492 • Almost 2,000 immunizations have been provided since the last Partner Update. • Over 5,000 Simcoe Muskoka long-term care (LTC) & retirement home staff and essential caregivers received their first dose, and nearly 2,200 of these individuals have received both of the required doses of the vaccine. • 2851 (89%) LTC residents and 2241 (61%) retirement home residents have received their first dose. • Over 5,200 hospital workers and residents in alternate level of care (ALC) in Simcoe Muskoka have received their first dose of the vaccine. • Approximately half of all LTC staff, essential caregivers and hospital employees and physicians have received their first dose of the vaccine. More than one-third of all retirement home staff and essential caregivers have also received the first dose of the vaccine. Local Media Updates (Since Jan. 27, 2021 Partner Update) • Waypoint reports fourth death, staff pleads for MPP Jill Dunlop's help (article) • City of Barrie joins province-wide COVID-19 wastewater surveillance initiative • Brian Orser Arena closing for remainder of season (article) • Town of Innisfil hopes contest will encourage young adults to stay home (article) • RVH ends one COVID-19 outbreak while two others continue in separate unit (article) • SMDHU will not report COVID-19 numbers on First Nations Territories (article) • City of Barrie Mayor urges people to hunker down to combat UK variant's spread (article) • Barrie-Innisfil MPP says 5,000 more vaccine doses coming to the region (article) • Education ministry accused of not reporting cases in special needs settings (article) • Workers in the sex industry facing COVID challenges in the margins (article) • Tiny offering safe alternative to Carnaval d’Hiver (article) • President of Jarlette addresses ‘devastating’ outbreak at Roberta Place (article) • ‘Voices of Long Term Care’ calls for accountability as COVID deaths increase (article) • Quicker response to deaths ensured hospitals aren’t overwhelmed as COVID fatalities rise (article) 2 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 61 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5. Provincial, National and Global COVID-19 Case Status Ontario (As of February 3, 2021, 10:30) Total cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 272,097 16,648 248,981 6,305 In the last day: • There were 1,172 new cases, 1,745 resolved cases, and 67 deaths. • There are over 5,000 fewer active cases compared to the same day last week. • A total of 106 cases of the UK variant have been reported and one case of the South African variant. • 1,066 people were hospitalized, 336 were in intensive care units (ICU) and 254 were on ventilators. • There were 440 ongoing outbreaks in health care settings (229 in LTC, 129 in RH, 82 in hospitals). • The current effective reproduction number is 0.84. In the last week: • There have been almost 12,000 new cases, 16,500 recoveries, and almost 350 deaths. • The average number of weekly cases is 1,675. Vaccines: • Yesterday 3,716 doses of vaccine were administered, with a total of 348,331 doses administered. • 74,994 people in Ontario are fully vaccinated having received both immunizations. Regional updates: Areas with the highest number of active cases per 100,000 population: • Peel (262.13), Toronto (211.49), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (143.43), York (120.64), and Niagara (119.23). Areas with the highest number of active cases: • Toronto (5,777), Peel (3,622), York (1,339), Halton (620), and Ottawa (592). For more provincial data see: Ontario COVID-19 case data and Public Health Ontario Data Tool, Daily Epidemiologic Summaries, and Weekly Epidemiologic Summaries Canada (As of February 2, 2021 at 19:00 EDT) Total Cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 786,417 49,562 716,642 20,213 • In the last week almost 30,000 people tested positive for COVID-19, over 800 people died and almost 39,000 people recovered. • There are almost 10,000 less people with active cases of COVID-19 in the country than there was a week ago. Yesterday: • Canada reported 2,828 new cases and 77 deaths. • New cases were reported in all provinces and territories except NFLD, YT, and NU. • Deaths were reported in QC, ON, AB, BC, and SK. Between Jan 18th and Jan 25th • The number COVID-19 patients hospitalized decreased from 3,874 to 3,256. 3 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 62 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5. • The number COVID-19 patients in ICU beds decreased from 869 to 826 beds. • The number of COVID-19 patients mechanically vented decreased from 483 to 428. Weekly update: January 17 - 23, 2021 • New cases decreased 19% compared to the previous week, with an average of 5,756 new cases every day. • The average number of deaths reported each day increased to 156. • Case rates are highest amongst those 20 to 30 years of age and those 80 years of age and older. • Hospitalizations decreased, while ICU admissions remained stable since early January. • According to forecasting, between 790,700 to 833,420 cumulative reported cases and 20,990 to 21,950 deaths are expected by February 7, 2021. Key vaccine updates: As of January 23, 2021 • % of population who has received at least one dose: 2.29% o % of adults 80 or older who have received at least one dose: 9.32% o % of health care workers who have received at least one dose: 48.29% o % of adults living in group settings or seniors: 41.84% • % of population who has received one dose: 2.17% • % of population who has received two doses: 0.12% National daily epidemiology updates; National weekly epidemiology report Global (As of February 3, 2021 at 9:45 CET) Confirmed Cases Confirmed Deaths 103,201,340 2,237,636 In the last day: • There were almost 350,000 new cases and almost 9,500 deaths. • The US, Brazil, UK, Russia, and Argentina reported the most new cases and the US, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, and Russia reported the most deaths. In the past week : • Over 3.5 million new cases and over 95,000 deaths were reported. • The US, Brazil, UK, France, and Russia had the most new cases and the US, Mexico, UK, Brazil, and Germany had the most new deaths. Highlights from Weekly Epidemiological Summary as of January 31, 2021: • For the last three weeks there has been a decline in global cases, with the number of global cases now over 100 million. Last week, all regions except for South-East reported a decline in cases. • Although deaths declined globally by 1%, the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, and Western Pacific all reported increases in deaths. • January 30, 2021 marked one year since WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, at which time there were 9,826 cases in 20 countries and 213 deaths in only China. WHO COVID-19 Disease Dashboard; Weekly Epidemiological and Operational Updates 4 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 63 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5. Provincial, National and Global Updates (Since Jan. 27, 2021 Partner Update) Provincial Updates The Ontario Government: • Ontario enhances safety measures in place as in-person learning resumes across Ontario (news release) • Continues accelerated vaccinations of most vulnerable despite vaccine delays: immunization begins in northern fly-in communities this week (news release) • Announced the extension of the Community Support Program until 2022 (news release) • Makes additional investments to keep students and staff safe (news release) (backgrounder on expanded testing in schools and child care settings) • Improves mental health supports for first responders and public safety personnel (news release) • Is taking immediate action to stop the spread of COVID-19 variants (news release) • Visited 1,000 stores during COVID-19 inspection blitz (news release) • 280,000 Ontario students to return to class (news release) • COVID-19 Science Advisory Table released a science brief on lessons learned from Israel's vaccine rollout Public Health Ontario published: • COVID-19 UK Variant VOC-202012/01 – What We Know So Far (synthesis) • COVID-19 Epidemiological Parameters – What We Know So Far (synopsis) • Inclusion of COVID-19 Variants of Concern in (Weekly Epi Summary Report) • Progress on Collecting Socio-demographic Data (presentation) • Adverse Events Following Immunizations (AEFIs) (weekly summary) • Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESIs) (technical brief) • Occupational Exposure to COVID-19 Risk Tool (tool) • FAQ on Use of Portable Air Cleaners and COVID-19 Transmission (FAQ) Other Provincial News: • Sudbury mayor wants highway checkpoints to curb spread of COVID-19 (article) • 'Kids are not all right,' mental health among Ontario children deteriorating (article) • Ontario says it won’t meet Feb. 5 goal of vaccinating all long-term care, high-risk retirement residents (article) • Ontario confirms 1st case of COVID-19 variant first detected in South Africa (article) • Ontario government ministers to appear before LTC commission (article) • Provincial Medical Officers of Health urge Premier to reopen schools first (article) • Establishing public trust central to decisions about inoculation of children (article) • Businesses will stay locked down until patients in ICU drop by more than half (article) • COVID-19: Discarded PPE a new and growing issue, says university study (article) • Mandatory COVID-19 tests for international arrivals at Pearson airport (article) • COVID-19 cases down in Ontario but variant ‘a significant threat’ to curbing spread, new modelling shows (article) • School boards prepare for returning students as debate rages over safety (article) • Error causes over-reporting in province’s vaccination update (article) • Ontario extends off-peak electricity rates to Feb. 9 (article) National Updates The Government of Canada: • Statements/Remarks from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada: February 3, February 2, February 1, January 31, January 30, January 28, January 27, 2021 • Announces new support to produce COVID-19 vaccines and treatments (news release) 5 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 64 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5. • Invests in COVID-19 vaccines and biomanufacturing capacity (backgrounder) • Supports projects to encourage vaccine uptake in Canada (news release) • Introduces further restrictions on international travel and new testing and quarantine measures for international travelers (news release, backgrounders 1, 2) • Temporarily waives one-week waiting period for Employment Insurance claims (news release) • Released COVID-19 Update for Indigenous Peoples and communities (news release) Other National News: • Made-in-Canada COVID vaccines are coming - but not until late 2021 (article) • Canada to get more than 1 million more doses by March through global vaccine alliance (article) • Canada signs tentative deal with Novavax to make its COVID-19 vaccine at new Montreal facility (article) • Snowbirds call for changes to 'punitive' travel restrictions (article) • Canadians growing more anxious over federal vaccination plan: poll (article) • Coronavirus: What’s happening in Canada and around the world on Friday (article) • Pfizer’s expectations don’t match Canada’s reality, experts say (article) • Physicians say COVID-19 vaccine both safe, protective for elderly Canadians. Here’s what seniors need to know (article) • Airlines suspending certain flights, Ottawa introducing quarantine hotel stays to discourage travel (article) • Moderna to cut deliveries to Canada in new blow to vaccination campaign (article) • Treatments for COVID-19: What works, doesn’t work, and is still being tested (article) • Johnson & Johnson single-shot COVID-19 vaccine appears 66% effective (article) • As other countries explore recommending wearing two masks, Canada sticks to its COVID-19 advice (article). Global Updates The World Health Organization (WHO): • Director General with Micheal Bloomberg, call for urgent action to tackle noncommunicable diseases (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer and respiratory diseases) which account for over 74% of deaths globally and worsen outcomes of patients with COVID-19 (news release) • Region of the America’s (PAHO) launched MedPPE, a mobile app that provides detailed information on the personal protective equipment that health personnel should use to guard against COVID-19 (available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese). • Won ‘Best international digital transformation of a training programme’ for its OpenWHO.org, an interactive, web-based, knowledge-transfer platform offering online courses to improve the response to health emergencies. OpenWHO.org continues to provide new and updated online learning courses. • Released new videos which explain how to prevent COVID-19 infection in oral healthcare services (videos) • Director General continues to emphasize “Vaccine nationalism is self-defeating and inefficient, leaving the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people at risk.” (NORAD Conference 2021, panel: Vaccine nationalism and global distribution and Closing remarks at 148th session of the Executive Board) 6 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 65 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 5. WHO published: • First interim COVAX distribution forecast (statement) • Special Focus: COVID-19 and Health Workers in recognition of 2021 being designated as the International Year of Health and Care Workers (Weekly Epidemiological Update: special focus p.4-7) • Special Focus: Update on SARS-COV-2 variants of concern (Weekly Epidemiological Update: special focus p.8-10) • Essential Diagnostics List and urges countries to prioritize investments in testing (link) • COVID-19 Clinical management: living guidance (overview) • Science in 5, episode 23: I am vaccinated, what next? (video) (YouTube) Other International news: • Research on COVID-19 cases and transmission in 17 K-12 schools showed that enforced mask wearing and cohorting limited spread within the school (article) • Lingering lung, physical, mental symptoms 4 months after COVID-19 (article) • Variant COVID among triggers for grim surge in Manaus, Brazil (article) • An international review of Multisystem Inflammatory System in Children (MIS-C) found children with MIS-C presented with a wide clinical spectrum, including Kawasaki disease–like, life-threatening shock and milder forms with mainly fever and inflammation and that a shorter duration of symptoms before admission was associated with a worse outcome (article) SMDHU Resources • SMDHU COVID-19 HealthSTATS page • SMDHU Vulnerable Populations for COVID-19 Response Interactive Map highlights vulnerable populations in Simcoe Muskoka. • Current COVID-19 information is available on our website. o New HealthFaxes . February 3, 2021 COVID-19: Update #28 UK Variant: Revised Mitigation Strategies for Community-Spread . February 1, 2021 COVID-19 Vaccine: Update #5 Efficacy of the First Dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine • SMDHU Health Connection responds to calls and emails about COVID-19. Contact Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 ext. 5829 or via email. Health Connection Hours: o Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Credible Sources of Information • Ontario Ministry of Health • Public Health Ontario • Government of Canada • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • World Health Organization 7 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 66 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 6. Corporation of the Township of Perth South 3191 Road 122 St. Pauls, ON N0K 1V0 Telephone 519-271-0619 Fax 519-271-0647 [email protected] February 2, 2021 Via Email: [email protected] Honourable Jeff Yurek Minister of Environment, Conservation, and Parks 777 Bay Street College Park - 5th Floor Toronto, ON M7A 2J3 Re: ONTARIO ANNOUNCES WORKING GROUP TO BETTER FOCUS CONSERVATION AUTHORITIES Dear Minister, The Municipality of Perth South (“Perth South”) is pleased to see your Ministry’s development of regulations for the Conservation Authorities Act, 1990 R.S.O. 1990, c. C.27 (the “Act”). Perth South supports the proposed changes your government passed respecting conservation authorities in schedule 6 of Bill 229, the Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act (Budget Measures), 2020 (“Bill 229”). I expressed this support in my email to you on November 5, 2020. Our municipality, like many others across Ontario, has encountered longstanding conflicts regarding operational scope and costs with our principal conservation authority the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (“UTRCA”). Despite requests made in writing and through delegations at annual Board Budget meetings no resolution has been found. It is for this reason that Perth South was pleased to see the changes made through Bill 229; however, we were disappointed when the Working Group composition was announced as it is dominated by conservation authorities who are tasked with recommending the very regulations that govern them. I am sure you can agree that the initial optics of the governed designing the governance of themselves is concerning. Conservation authorities, most of whom opposed your reforms, should not be relied upon to develop fair and objective recommendations on their own. Mayor Robert Wilhelm, Township of Perth South - re: Correspondence regar...Page 67 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 6. Further to my email of January 12, 2021, I am writing to you to confirm and clarify your full intent and scope for the Working Group your Ministry announced on December 16, 2020 to develop updated regulations. We are hopeful that you will direct this Working Group with clear, limited, and specific instructions that will focus on the intent of changes included in Bill 229. Perth South seeks your clarity that this Working Group’s tasks will be built on the following principles in the areas of focus highlighted: 1. Mandatory core programs and services conservation authorities would be required to provide. (a) That ‘mandatory’ core programs are limited to the changes included in schedule 6 of Bill 229: conservation lands solely owned by conservation authorities, flood-control, erosion, and natural hazards; (b) That conservation authorities are not permitted any discretion via regulations to exit those defined and strict categories; and (c) That ‘services’ must be concise, limited, and have obvious direct need to fulfil core mandates not merely ‘link’ or ‘complement’ the same. 2. The agreements between municipalities and conservation authorities and the transition period associated with non-mandatory programs and services (a) That the regulations establish a clear, consistent, and template pro- forma for these agreements that includes at a minimum: i. a specified time limitation to prevent perpetuity; ii. clear intent and objectives; iii. clear definitions, terms, and conditions; iv. the identified necessity for it/them; v. accurate, evidence-supported budget forecasting; vi. the impact of items (i-iv) on each participating municipality; vii. supporting science-based evidence that meets or exceeds the standard(s)/threshold(s) applied to any third party deemed an applicant and/or subject to an Mayor Robert Wilhelm, Township of Perth South - re: Correspondence regar...Page 68 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 6. agreement’s provisions including on any items requiring peer review; viii. municipal and public input mechanisms and timelines; ix. dispute resolution processes that adhere to the legislation and the timelines proscribed therein; and x. municipal refusal/opt-out clause(s) where proposals o not have the support of the participating municipality and/or do not reasonably benefit a participating municipality or municipalities given their geographical extent or limit within the watershed of the conservation authority in question. (b) That the “transition period,” associated cannot be greater than one (1) fiscal year from the date of Bill 229’s passage in the case of any pre-existing agreement and no more than two (2) years from the date of Bill 229’s passage; and (c) That the Working Group must understand the principle that one “cannot do by regulation what one cannot do in law.” 3. How local members of the community can participate in their conservation authorities through community advisory boards (a) That these advisory boards and the conservation authorities that they ‘advise’ are not delegated responsibilities or tasks that are a normative function of a conservation authority’s operations and not delegation(s) or devolution(s) of a conservation authority’s board and its committees’ obligations and normal work; (b) That voluntarily submitted proposals for programs, projects, and services cannot be for activities either not contemplated or permitted under either conservation authorities’ mandated functions or approved non-mandatory agreements; (c) That advisory committee’s recommendations and work are neither binding nor required under a conservation authority’s administrative by-laws; (d) That any aspect of an advisory committee’s work that requires public consultation becomes a function of the conservation authority’s board or its approved board-fulfilled committees not the advisory committee/group; (e) That membership on any advisory committee or group must be balanced and reflect its composition to watershed citizens who are Mayor Robert Wilhelm, Township of Perth South - re: Correspondence regar...Page 69 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 6. resident and contributing ratepayers in participant municipalities of the conservation authority in question; (f) That conservation authorities’ obligations to conduct deliberate, regular, thorough, and transparent public consultation on matters of policies, programs, and services cannot be delegated to an ‘advisory’ committee or group. That such functions remain a core and mandatory function of a conservation authority’s board; and (g) That community advisory boards neither relieve nor substitute a conservation authority’s obligation to incorporate citizens into consultative and/or input processes that are board-led or directed. We understand and agree that partnerships and collaboration are critical but want to ensure that there is balance in the parties that will represent the Working Group. Perth South also looks forward to greater clarity from the Ministry with respect to conservation authority budget and levy processes in the regulation updates. We are very pleased with the avenues of appeal Bill 229 will now provide, after recently exploring the costly and difficult appeal process that previously existed. As you work to reach the final outcome on these long overdue changes, Perth South and its residents are relying on you to ensure that the development of regulations will align with the spirit of the changes requested by Perth South and other municipalities across the province during the consultations that occurred in early 2020. I thank you for the work you are undertaking and trust our comments will be received and conveyed with your support to this Working Group. I am confident many more municipalities in this province would echo our points of view. Yours sincerely, Robert Wilhelm Mayor Township of Perth South cc: All municipalities in Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks Working Group members on Proposed Regulations under the Conservation Authorities Act. Randy Pettapiece, MPP Perth-Wellington Mayor Robert Wilhelm, Township of Perth South - re: Correspondence regar...Page 70 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 7. Corporate Services Department Finance Division Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario [email protected] February 2, 2021 RE: Significant Negative Impacts of Current Value Assessments in Perth County Dear Premier Ford, During the January 28th, 2021 Perth County Council meeting a resolution was passed directing staff to write a letter to the Province highlighting the concerns of assessment delays. The motion reads: WHEREAS the property tax system is based on current value assessment; AND WHEREAS the current delay in assessment does not utilize the Province’s model of CVA, THEREFORE, County Council direct staff to correspond with the Premier, the Finance Minister, the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Minister of Agriculture, Perth’s MPP to move forward with implementing reassessment based on CVA, and that copies of the correspondence be sent to all Ontario municipalities. Primary Concerns: The 2016 assessment valuation does not use the property tax model of Current Value Assessment (CVA). The assessment valuations in use are 5 years old. Assessment delays do not benefit all tax classes equally by shifting the assessment disproportionately between residential and farmland. Assessment delays create skepticism in the overarching framework of CVA and this skepticism causes citizens to question the Provincial model and process of CVAs. Current legislation restricts the ability for local government flexibility, as the ratio for residential tax class cannot be changed from a ratio of 1.00. A further delay in reassessment continues to create challenges in how local government, along with tax policy, is ensuring the appropriate assessment values pay for their appropriate allotment of taxation levies. Local tax levies are developed within the constraints of the boundaries that provide the services to their communities. With property assessment valuations being 5 years past due, it causes citizens to question the validity of the system of property taxes that the Province of Ontario adheres to. Corporation of the County of Perth 1 Huron Street, Stratford, Ontario, Canada N5A 5S4 t. 519‐271‐0531 f. 519‐271‐6265 www.perthcounty.ca Corey Bridges, Manager of Finance/Treasurer, Perth County - re: Correspo...Page 71 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 7. This is particularly exacerbated in a community such as Perth County that is a mix of urban and rural. The 2016 assessment valuation significantly shifted property taxes to the farmland class, which was phased in over the past 4 years. The shift was significant enough that the residential class has seen decreases in their portion of the overall municipal burden while the burden on farmland is disproportionately increasing. Natural assessment valuation shifts do impact the tax policies of local governments with an urban‐ rural mix and more directly follow the overall property tax model of CVA. Equipping municipalities with the knowledge of the set dates related to reassessment and new valuation dates, provides the ability for key financial municipal departments to better plan for these assessment shifts that cannot be alleviated through tax ratio changes. Below is some further information that outlines the significant impact on Perth County in particular: The overall tax burden on Perth County farmland increased from 21% in 2016 to 29% in 2020 of the overall levy. These percentages do include growth from 2017 to 2020. The amount of farmland would be higher in relation to phase in assessment amounts only. Based on 2020 without growth the percentage burden would have been higher than the 29%. The geography of Perth County is unique as it includes two urban center single tiers: The City of Stratford and The Town of St. Marys. This pushes the amount of farmland within the two‐ tiered structure of Perth County to greater than 90% of the total area covered by farmland. As they are single tier municipalities, The City of Stratford and The Town of St. Marys do not assist in subsidizing farmland as they would if they were part of a true two tiered structure. All of the Perth County’s OMPF allocations are categorized as transitional, which is soon to be phased out completely. As of 2021, $1,020,400 still remains to be phased out of the County’s budget In summary, Perth County is asking the province to update the CVA calculations to bring them in line with current property valuations and further to consider the impacts of the urban‐rural mix of the region and the resultant impact causing residents to disproportionately carry the tax burden over citizens in neighbouring regions without the inclusion of single tier municipalities in their borders. We look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Corey Bridges, Manager of Finance / Treasurer On behalf of Perth County Council Cc: Minister of Finance – Peter Bethlenfalvy Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing – Steve Clark Minister of Agriculture – Ernie Hardeman Corey Bridges, Manager of Finance/Treasurer, Perth County - re: Correspo...Page 72 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 7. Perth Wellington MPP – Randy Pettapiece All Ontario Municipalities Corey Bridges, Manager of Finance/Treasurer, Perth County - re: Correspo...Page 73 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 8. NEWS RELEASE Muskoka Assessment Centres Open on Family Day (Monday, February 1, 2021, Muskoka, ON) – The two COVID-19 assessment centres in Muskoka will be open to appointments for COVID swab testing on Monday, February 15, also known as Family Day. The Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) COVID-19 Assessment Centre in Bracebridge behind the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital Site will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Town of Huntsville’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre in Huntsville on Park Drive will be open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A reminder that appointments are required by calling 1-888-383-7009. -30- Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) is a multi-site health care organization accredited with exemplary standing that provides acute care services at the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital and South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge. Find out more about Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare by visiting www.mahc.ca. For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Allyson Snelling, Corporate Communications Officer 705-789-2311 ext. 2544; [email protected] Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare - re: Muskoka Assessment Centres Open on Fa...Page 74 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9. COVID-19 Update for Partners January 27, 2021 Key messages from Dr. Gardner Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Case Status Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Vaccine Data Local Media Updates Provincial, National and Global COVID-19 Case Status Provincial, National and Global Updates SMDHU Resources Credible Sources of Information Key messages from Dr. Gardner, Medical Officer of Health New Strain of COVID-19 UK Variant in our Communities • On the weekend, seven cases of the UK variant of COVID-19 were confirmed in Simcoe County. Six of these cases are associated with Roberta Place Long-term Care Home (LTCH). The other case is in an individual who had close contact with someone associated with the outbreak at Bradford Valley Care Community LTCH. • At this time our investigation continues on a number of fronts, including: o Ongoing assessment of cases associated with Roberta Place and Bradford Valley; o Mapping cases to determine household clusters; and o Network analysis of the transmission of the variant strain within Roberta Place and Bradford Valley as well as within the community. • Public Health Ontario conducted a point prevalence study (a one-day snapshot to see how many tests from one day are of a variant of COVID-19) last week. Though not all tests have been completed, to date, preliminary results show: o An additional 99 people in Simcoe County have a variant of COVID-19; o Almost all are in individuals linked to the Roberta Place outbreak; o Two of the people with infection from variant strains have no known link to the outbreaks in LTCH in Simcoe County; and o One of these variant cases is associated with Waypoint Outbreak. • We need to assume that a variant of this virus is in our communities and do everything we can protect ourselves and others. As this strain of COVID-19 is more contagious it is even more important that people in Simcoe Muskoka take all measures possible to prevent the spread of the virus. The only way this virus can continue to spread is through the movement of people. I urge everyone to stay home except for essential reasons (i.e., groceries, health care, essential work, physical activity). Now is not the time for visiting family or friends outside of your household. Ensure physical distancing and masking guidance is followed at all times when outside of the home. Vaccine Supply Update – Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine We anticipate the temporary interruption in the supply of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine globally will greatly impact the amount of vaccine we will receive locally in February. 1 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 75 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9. Our plan is to ensure we can protect our most vulnerable, high-risk populations. This means: • First dose vaccines, at the Immunization Clinic on Sperling Drive in Barrie, and through the Mobile Immunization Team, will be temporarily paused and the clinic will temporarily close (effective Jan. 21st) and not re-open for any scheduled appointments until supply increases and is stabilized. • Second vaccine doses, for health care workers who received their first dose of the vaccine after December 30th, 2020, will be delayed up to 42 days. • LTCH residents and Retirement Home (RH) residents who have received their first dose, will receive their second dose 21 to 27 days after their first dose. • We continued to immunize RH residents in Simcoe Muskoka through the mobile immunization clinic in collaboration with RVH and we anticipate completion of immunizations in all high-risk RH by the end of this week. City of Barrie Amplifies Message of “Stay at Home” with Videos for you to Share • The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) supports the City of Barrie who have planned communications about how serious transmission of the COVID-19 variant could become in our community and the potential devastating effects. The city encourages residents to share these important messages by sharing the videos (Mayor Jeff Lehman’s video Twitter and Facebook; another video). Previous media briefings are on the SMDHU Facebook page and YouTube channel. Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Case Status (As of January 27, 2021 14:00) Total Cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 5,242 1,151 3,925 134 4,834 1,349 3,366 91 In the last day: • 40 new cases, 99 people recovered and three people died Since the last Partner Update: • There have been over 400 new cases, over 550 people have recovered, and 43 people have died. • So far this week there have been 97 new cases reported to the health unit. • There are 198 fewer active cases in Simcoe Muskoka than there were one week ago. • There are 37 people hospitalized. • There are 22 ongoing outbreaks in Simcoe Muskoka (11 in institutional settings, 7 in workplace settings, 3 in congregate settings and 1 in a community setting). • The current percent positivity rate in Simcoe County is 3.5% and 0.4% in Muskoka District compared to the provincial percent positivity rate of 4.6%. • The weekly percent positivity in Simcoe Muskoka has been highest among youth 10-19 years of age for the past four weeks. The weekly positivity rate among seniors 80 years of age and older has increased each of the past three weeks. • Since mid-December, 23% of Simcoe Muskoka cases have reported attending at least one holiday gathering with non-household members, with attendance at gatherings peaking at one-third (34%) of cases during the week of January 3 to January 9th. SMDHU COVID-19 HealthSTATS page and the COVID-19 Monitoring Dashboard 2 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 76 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9. Simcoe Muskoka COVID-19 Vaccine* Data (As of January 27, 2021 14:00) Total doses administered Doses administered previous day 15,759 394 • Almost 2,500 immunizations have been provided since the last Partner Update. • Nearly 90% or 2846 residents of LTCH in Simcoe Muskoka have received their first dose of the vaccine. • Approximately half of all long-term care staff, essential caregivers and hospital employees and physicians have received their first dose of the vaccine. • More than one-third of all RH staff and essential caregivers have also received the first dose of the vaccine. • Nearly 5000 Simcoe Muskoka LTCH & RH staff and essential caregivers, have received their first dose of vaccine. • 964 individuals have received their second required dose. • Over 5,200 hospital workers and residents in alternate level of care (ALC) in Simcoe Muskoka have received their first dose of the vaccine. Local Media Updates (Since Jan. 20, 2021 Partner Update) • Health officials investigating possibility of U.K. variant at second Ont. LTC home (article) • More robust testing for UK variant needed to show community spread (article) • Administering vaccine made Orillia nurse 'goosebumpy all over' (article) • Website launches to assist Simcoe North businesses through the pandemic (article) • LTC homes in York-Simcoe getting $666K from province to help battle COVID-19 (article) • Muskoka Family Network is here to assist with important family resources (article) • “If it isn’t there now, it very well could be soon,” Health Unit’s top doctor says of UK COVID-19 variant (article) • What are the long-term effects of COVID-19 and is the damage permanent? (article) • Town of Gravenhurst confirms staff member positive for COVID-19, Jan. 26 (article) • No plans to close Muskoka snowmobile trails yet in COVID lockdown: Gardner (article) • Pandemic’s impact ‘negligible’ at Lake Simcoe airport, official says (article) • Local help, not the military, is best for Roberta Place (article) • Wahta First Nation copes with first three COVID cases since pandemic began (article) • Vulnerable residents of Rama have received first dose of vaccine (article) • Rerouted vaccine shipment, late orders meant deadly delay (article) • United Kingdom (UK) COVID-19 variant identified at long-term care home (news release) • Simcoe Muskoka schools to continue online learning until February 10 (article) Provincial, National and Global COVID-19 Case Status Ontario (As of January 27, 2021, 10:30) Total cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 260,370 21,774 232,480 5,958 244,932 26,467 212,897 5,568 In the last day: • There were 1,670 new cases, 2,725 resolved cases, and 49 deaths. • There are over 4,500 fewer active cases in Ontario compared to the same day last week. • There were 1,382 people hospitalized, 377 in intensive care units (ICU) and 291 on ventilators. 3 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 77 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9. • There were 493 ongoing outbreaks in health care settings (245 in LTCH, 154 in RH, 94 in hospitals) • The current effective reproduction number is 0.87 • Over 55,000 people were tested. The daily percent positivity is 4%. In the last week: • There have been almost 15,500 new cases, almost 20,000 recoveries, and almost 400 deaths. Vaccines: • Yesterday 9,513 doses of vaccine were administered, with a total of 305,330 doses administered. • 96,459 people in Ontario have received both vaccinations. Regional updates • Areas with the highest number of active cases per 100,000 population: Peel (328.35), Toronto (272.11), Niagara(212.11), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (185.26), and Windsor-Essex (183.98) • Areas with the highest number of active cases: Toronto (7,433), Peel (4,537), York (1,571), Ottawa (958), and Niagara (950) Highlights from January 10 - 16, 2021 Weekly Epidemiological Summary • There were fewer cases reported this week than the previous week, with 85% of health units reporting a downward trend in the rate of disease. • There were significantly fewer deaths reported (88 down from 221) • The UK variant has been reported in 5 health unit regions (Durham, York, Toronto, Peel and Middlesex-London), with the current case count at 14 (based on 2,834 specimens screened) • Neighbourhoods with greater diversity had an increase in number of cases while those with the least diversity had decreased numbers of cases. • Neighbourhoods experiencing the most material deprivation continue to experience more cases than neighbourhoods with less material deprivation. For more provincial data see: Ontario COVID-19 case data and Public Health Ontario Data Tool, Daily Epidemiologic Summaries, and Weekly Epidemiologic Summaries Canada (As of January 26, 2021 at 19:00 EDT) Total Cases Active Cases Recovered Deaths 757,022 59,551 678,068 19,403 • In the last week over 31,000 people tested positive for COVID-19, almost 1,000 people died and almost 40,000 people recovered. • There are almost 9,000 less people with active cases of COVID-19 in the country than there was a week ago. January 26th, Canada reported: • 4,011 new cases • 165 deaths • new cases in ON, QC, BC, AB, SK, MB, NB, and NS • deaths in ON, QC, BC, SK, AB, and MB 4 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 78 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9. Between Jan 11th and Jan 18th • The number COVID-19 patients hospitalized decreased from 4,021 to 3,881. • The number COVID-19 patients in ICU beds decreased from 881 to 868 beds. • The number of COVID-19 patients mechanically vented increased from 457 to 483. Weekly update: January 10 - 16, 2021 • New cases and deaths decreased compared to the previous week. • There was an average of 7,108 new cases reported each day (12% decrease compared to the previous week). • The average number of daily deaths decreased slightly to 143 from 146. • All provinces and territories, with the exception of Yukon and Nunavut reported new cases, while deaths were reported in seven of ten provinces and no territories. • Saskatchewan and Manitoba were the only provinces reporting an increase of cases compared to the previous week. • The number of hospitalizations continue to rise and is now 1.6 times greater than the first peak in May. As of January 15, there were 4,767 people hospitalized and 879 people in ICU, an 8% and 7% increase compared to the previous week. • Over 54% individuals with new reported cases of COVID-19 were under 40 years of age, including: o 17% under 20 years of age; o 20% between 20 to 29 years of age; and o 17% between 30 to 39 years of age. • According to forecasting, between 761,230 to 808,620 cumulative reported cases and 19,680 to 20,620 deaths are expected by January 31, 2021. National daily epidemiology updates; National weekly epidemiology report Global (As of January 27, 2021 at 11:55 CET) Confirmed Cases Confirmed Deaths 99,638,507 2,141,468 In the last day: • There were over 410,000 new cases and over 10,000 deaths. • The US, Brazil, UK, Russia, and Indonesia reported the most new cases and the US, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, and the UK, reported the most deaths. In the past week : • Over 4.6 million new cases and over 90,000 deaths were reported. • The US, Brazil, UK, Spain, and Russia had the most new cases and the US, Mexico, UK, Brazil, and Germany had the most new deaths. Highlights from Weekly Epidemiological Summary as of January 24, 2021: • Globally, new cases continue to decline after global case incidence peaked in the first week of January 2021. However this downward trend only reflects relative reductions in case incidence in several countries that have contributed the highest numbers in recent months, but hides continued upward trends in other countries in the same regions. • While new cases reported over the week decreased (-6%), new deaths climbed to a record high of 93,000, representing a 9% increase from the previous week. • The Americas and Europe reported 86% of all new cases globally in the past week. WHO COVID-19 Disease Dashboard; Weekly Epidemiological and Operational Updates 5 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 79 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9. Provincial, National and Global Updates (Since Jan. 20, 2021 Partner Update) Provincial Updates The Ontario Government: • Expands COVID-19 Inspections to Farming Operations (news release) • Makes steady progress testing travelers at Pearson; calls on federal government to take further action (news release) • Supports modernization of small and rural communities (news release) • Supports the development of the next generation of PPE (news release) • Adjusts vaccination plan in response to Pfizer-BioNTech shipment delays (news release) • Marks one year anniversary of the first COVID-19 case in Ontario (news release) • Says safety of schools remains priority number one for Ontario (news release) • Expands eligibility for emergency child care (backgrounder) • Expands big-box blitz to Ottawa, Windsor, Niagara and Durham regions (news release) • Opens COVID-19 isolation centres in hardest hit communities (news release) • Launches pilot program to train personal support workers (news release) • Adding more mental health beds and programs for seniors (news release) • Reminds public to stay home and travel only when necessary (news release) • Expands workplace enforcement campaigns (news release) • Announces over 100,000 students return to class (news release) Other Provincial News: • COVID-19: Tougher travel restrictions on the way; Ontario reports 1,740 new cases, Ottawa shows another drop (article) • Ontario government calls on feds to impose temporary ban on direct flights from countries with new COVID-19 strains (article) • ‘It’s a crisis situation,’ 300+ doctors and advocates call on Ford to act now to control COVID-19 in LTC homes (article) • Ontario says 2.26% of tests at Pearson positive (article) • As doctors urge more COVID-19 testing in schools, millions sit unused (article) • Teen cleaner who worked at Ontario long-term care home dies (article) • Ford government calling on influencers to urge Ontarians to stay home (article) • Ontario couple charged after allegedly misleading contact tracers (article) • Ontario urged to suspend need for consent before withdrawing life support when COVID crushes hospitals (article) • 182 Canada Post workers test positive for COVID at Mississauga plant; 34 cases of a COVID-19 variant confirmed in Canada; ‘Don’t book a trip for spring break,’ (article) National Updates The Government of Canada: • Invites You to Celebrate the Joys of Winter virtually at the 43rd annual Winterlude, February 5–21, 2021 (news release) • Released statements from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada: January 27, January 26, January 25, January 24, January 23, January 21, and January 22, 2021 • Invests in innovative life science and virtual healthcare technologies (news release) • Grants close to $3 million to help four organizations in Quebec maintain their activities and invest in their tourism facilities (news release) • Provides Mobile Health Units to assist Ontario with COVID-19 response (news release) • Releases COVID-19 Update for Indigenous Peoples and communities (news release) • Invests in national clinical trials network to address COVID-19 pandemic (news release) 6 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 80 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9. • Published draft legislative proposals to adjust certain deductions for employment insurance and COVID-19 benefits (news release) Other National News: • What you need to know for January 27 (article) • Ont. doctor suggests cancelling March Break to prevent another COVID-19 spike (article) • Provinces sitting on millions in unspent federal pandemic spending, report says (article) • Canadian military dealing with surge in new COVID-19 infections (article) • Canada scrambling for smaller syringes ahead of expected vaccine label change (article) • Calgary company begins human clinical trials for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate (article) • Crime down in first eight months of pandemic, but mental-health calls rise (article) • Quebec to exempt homeless from curfew; court finds measure endangers safety (article) • Canadians urged to cancel travel plans (article) • Couple accused of flying to Yukon for vaccine 'despicable': B.C. minister (article) • After weeks with no COVID cases, Nunavut community sees new infections (article) • Moderna vaccine expected to protect against new COVID-19 variant (article) • What the science says on travel bans (article) • Cancel travel plans; data reveals 1M travelled over holidays (article) • Should governments name workplaces that have COVID-19 outbreaks? The pros and cons according to experts (article) • Ways to help kids express their feelings about the pandemic through art (article) • Canada’s COVID-19 case numbers show early positive signs (article) • Why the world won’t go back to ‘some sense of normal’ until all countries are vaccinated (article) • Tam asks faith leaders to remain ‘vigilant’, promote vaccine acceptance (article) • How worried should Canadians be about the B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant? (article) • Experts say pandemic fueling apparent spike in eating disorders (article) • Vaccine may be less effective against variant found in South Africa (article) Global Updates The World Health Organization (WHO): • Provided an update on SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern(Weekly Epidemiological Update: special focus update) • Vaccine Safety Committee met to review reports of deaths of very frail elderly (statement) • Recommends follow-up care, low-dose anticoagulants for COVID-19 patients (article) • Continues using chatbot to tackle COVID-19 misinformation and plans to carry out a formal assessment of the chatbox initiative (p.10 Weekly Operational Update) • Updated Children, COVID-19, and transmission in schools (Weekly Epidemiological Update: special focus update) WHO published: • The Moderna COVID-19 (mRNA-1273) vaccine: what you need to know (feature story; interim recommendations; draft background document) • Online global consultation on contract tracing for COVID-19 (overview) • The WHO COVID-19 vaccine safety surveillance manual (overview) • Country in focus: early implementation of WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health in Ukraine (feature story) • Science in 5, episode 22: Children & COVID-19 (video) (YouTube) Other International news: • 10 reports of anaphylaxis out of over 4 million doses administered, after administration of the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (news release) 7 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 81 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 9. SMDHU Resources • SMDHU COVID-19 HealthSTATS page • SMDHU Vulnerable Populations for COVID-19 Response Interactive Map highlights vulnerable populations in Simcoe Muskoka. • Current COVID-19 information is available on our website. Recent changes include: o Main COVID . New expander bar United Kingdom variant of COVID-19 in the region o Vaccine and Immunization . Revised Vaccine rollout in Ontario, local vaccine rollout, Timing of second dose . New FAQ COVID-19 Vaccination Roll Out o Partners and Municipalities: Revised Class Order for Grace Baptist Church o Operating your Business Safely . Replaced signs: STOP You must wear a face covering at this site (Updated January 25, 2021): English full colour / black and white; Francais tout en couleur / noir et blanc o Enforcement and Complaints . Added new business to enforcement chart o New HealthFax . UK Variant: Revised Mitigation Strategies for Community-Spread . COVID-19 Vaccine: Update #4 • SMDHU Health Connection responds to calls and emails about COVID-19. Contact Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 ext. 5829 or via email. Health Connection Hours: o Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Credible Sources of Information • Ontario Ministry of Health • Public Health Ontario • Government of Canada • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • World Health Organization 8 Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - re: COVID-19 Update for Partners, ... Page 82 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 10. Our File No: CV015-21 January 25, 2021 Delivered by e-mail to: [email protected] Ms. Carrie Sykes, Dipl. M.A., CMO, AMOC, Director of Corporate Services/ Clerk Township of Lake of Bays 1012 Dwight Beach Rd Dwight, ON P0A lH0 Dear Ms. Sykes, RE: Correspondence - Bill 229 "Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act Schedule 6 - Conservation Authorities Act" We acknowledge receipt of your correspondence dated December 16, 2020, with respect to the above noted matter. In accordance with the City’s policy your correspondence has been forwarded to the Mayor and Members of Council. A member of Council may request the matter be listed on a Council/Committee agenda for consideration. Should this matter be listed on an agenda, we will advise you of any action taken by Vaughan Council. Yours sincerely, Todd Coles City Clerk TC/lc City of Vaughan, Office of City Clerk, 2141 Major Mackenzie Drive, Vaughan, Ontario L6A 1T1 Tel: 905.832-8504 website www.vaughan.ca email [email protected] City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding Bill 229 "Protect, Suppor... Page 83 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 10. LAKE T 705-635 2272 TOWNSHIP OF LAKE OF BAYS TF 1-877-566 0005 1012 Dwight Beach Rd OF BAYS F 705 635 2132 Dwight, ON POA lHO December 16, 2020 Via email: [email protected] Township of Essa Attention: Lisa Lehr, Clerk 5786 County Road 21 Utopia, ON L0M 1T O Dear Ms. Lehr: RE: Correspondence - Bill 229 "Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act Schedule 6 - Conservation Authorities Act" On behalf of the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Lake of Bays, please be advised that the above-noted correspondence was presented at the last regularly scheduled meeting on December 15, 2020, and the following was passed. "Resolution #7( e )/12/15/20 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Lake of Bays hereby supports the resolution from the Town of Essa requesting support to Amend Bill 229, Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act under Schedule 6 - Conservation Authorities Act, dated November 19, 2020; AND FURTHER THAT this resolution be forwarded to the Town of Essa, Premier Doug Ford, the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Minister of Finance, Conservation Ontario, and all Ontario municipalities. Carried." Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Municipal Office at 705- 635-2272. ~~pl. M.A. , GMO, AOM.C, Director of Corporate Services/Clerk. CS/cw Encl. Copy to: Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario Hon. Jeff Yurek, Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks Hon. Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Hon. John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Hon. Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance Conservation Ontario All Ontario Municipalities . . ' 100 LAKES TO EXPLORE .. ,}i· . / -~~ ~·~11~:: City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding Bill 229 "Protect, Suppor... Page 84 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 10. City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding Bill 229 "Protect, Suppor... Page 85 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 10. City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding Bill 229 "Protect, Suppor... Page 86 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 11. Our File No: CV016-21 January 25, 2021 Delivered by e-mail to: [email protected] Ms. Carrie Sykes, Dipl. M.A., CMO, AMOC, Director of Corporate Services/ Clerk Township of Lake of Bays 1012 Dwight Beach Rd Dwight, ON P0A lH0 Dear Ms. Sykes, RE: Correspondence - AODA Website Compliance Extension Request We acknowledge receipt of your correspondence dated December 16, 2020, with respect to the above noted matter. In accordance with the City’s policy your correspondence has been forwarded to the Mayor and Members of Council. A member of Council may request the matter be listed on a Council/Committee agenda for consideration. Should this matter be listed on an agenda, we will advise you of any action taken by Vaughan Council. Yours sincerely, Todd Coles City Clerk TC/lc City of Vaughan, Office of City Clerk, 2141 Major Mackenzie Drive, Vaughan, Ontario L6A 1T1 Tel: 905.832-8504 website www.vaughan.ca email [email protected] City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding AODA Website Compliance PageE... 87 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 11. LAKE T 705-635-2272 TOWNSHIP OF LAKE OF BAYS TF 1-877 566 0005 1012 Dwight Beach Rd OF BAYS F 705 635-2132 Dwight, ON POA lHO • MUSKOKA • December 16, 2020 Via email: [email protected] Town of Amherstburg Attention: Tammy Fowkes, Deputy Clerk 271 Sandwich Street South Amherstburg, ON N9V 2A5 Dear Ms. Fowkes: RE: Correspondence - AODA Website Compliance Extension Request On behalf of the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Lake of Bays, please be advised that the above-noted correspondence was presented at the last regularly scheduled meeting on December 15, 2020, and the following was passed: "Resolution #7(a)/12/15/20 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Lake of Bays hereby supports the Resolution received by the Township of Amherstburg regarding Support for the AODA Compliance Extension Request, dated September 21 , 2020; AND FURTHER THAT this resolution be forwarded to the Town of Amherstburg, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility, Premier Doug Ford, AMO, and all municipalities in Ontario. Carried." Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Municipal Office at 705-635-2272. rie s es, Dip/. M.A., GMO, AOMC, Director of Corporate Services/Clerk. Encl. Copy to: Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario Hon. Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility Association of Municipalities of Ontario All Ontario Municipalities ;-:t / ••• t 100 LAKES TO EXPLORE /<4 .. Ji-.~~.:::· City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding AODA Website Compliance PageE... 88 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 11. September 21, 2020 VIA EMAIL The Right Honourable Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility College Park 5th Flr, 777 Bay St, Toronto, ON M7A 1S5 Re: AODA Website Compliance Extension Request At its meeting of September 14, 2020, Council passed the following for your consideration: Resolution # 20200914-281 “1. WHEREAS Section 14(4) of O.Reg 191/11 under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act requires designated public sector organizations to conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA by January 1, 2021; 2. AND WHEREAS the municipality remains committed to the provision of accessible goods and services; 3. AND WHEREAS the municipality provides accommodations to meet any stated accessibility need, where possible; 4. AND WHEREAS the declared pandemic, COVID-19, has impacted the finances and other resources of the municipality; 5. AND WHEREAS the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act contemplates the need to consider the technical or economic considerations in the implementation of Accessibility Standards; 6. BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the municipality requests that the Province of Ontario extend the compliance deadline stated in Section 14(4) of O.Reg 191/11 to require designated public sector organizations to meet the compliance standards, by a minimum of one (1) year to at least January 1, 2022; AND, 7. BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the municipality requests that the Province of Ontario consider providing funding support and training resources to meet these compliance standards.” Website: www.amherstburg.ca 271 SANDWICH ST. SOUTH, AMHERSTBURG, ONTARIO N9V 2A5 Phone: (519) 736-0012 Fax: (519) 736-5403 TTY: (519)736-9860 City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding AODA Website Compliance PageE... 89 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 11. The impacts of the pandemic on municipal finances and resources affect the ability of municipalities to meet the January 1, 2021 deadline for full compliance with WCAG 2.0 Level AA. We humbly request the Ontario government consider an extension request, in addition to financial support and training due to the unprecedented impacts of the global pandemic. Regards, Tammy Fowkes Deputy Clerk, Town of Amherstburg (519) 736-0012 ext. 2216 [email protected] cc: The Right Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario The Association of Municipalities of Ontario All Ontario Municipalities Website: www.amherstburg.ca 271 SANDWICH ST. SOUTH, AMHERSTBURG, ONTARIO N9V 2A5 Phone: (519) 736-0012 Fax: (519) 736-5403 TTY: (519)736-9860 City of Vaughan - re: Correspondence regarding AODA Website Compliance PageE... 90 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 12. January 14, 2021 Ms. Carrie Sykes, Clerk Township of Lake of Bays 1012 Dwight Beach Road Dwight, Ontario P0A 1H0 Dear Ms. Sykes, Re: 2019 Lake System Health Water Quality Monitoring Program For the information of Lake of Bays Council, please find attached a copy of the Lake System Health Water Quality Monitoring Program 2019 Annual Report. This report is available to the public on The District Municipality of Muskoka website at www.muskoka.on.ca. Individual Lake Data Sheets are available on the Muskoka Water Web at www.muskokawaterweb.ca. The District Municipality of Muskoka’s Lake System Health Water Quality Monitoring Program is comprised of: • recreational water quality monitoring; • shoreline land use surveys; • technical assistance to individuals and community organizations (including various schools and lake associations) interested in undertaking volunteer-based biological monitoring programs, including benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring; • shoreline assessments through the Love Your Lake program (in partnership with Muskoka Watershed Council); and • shoreline renaturalizations through the Natural Edge program (in partnership with Muskoka Watershed Council). Recreational Water Quality Monitoring The District of Muskoka’s (District) monitoring program is a field-based program that monitors approximately 193 sites on 164 lakes on a rotational basis. The purpose of the monitoring program is to establish a long-term record of key water quality parameters so that trends in water quality and overall lake system health can be identified and appropriate management decisions can be made to protect Muskoka’s recreational lake water quality. In collaboration with the Dorset Environmental Science Centre (DESC), Secchi depth (a measure of clarity), calcium and phosphorus concentrations are taken as part of the Provincial Lake Partner Program. In addition, DESC tests for other parameters, such as pH, conductivity, alkalinity, chloride, and nitrogen, so that a more complete understanding of lake chemistry can be achieved. While drawing samples from lakes, District Water Quality Technicians also record dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles. In 2019, 93 sites were monitored on 76 lakes for chemical parameters including phosphorus, Secchi depth, dissolved oxygen and temperature. COMMUNITY AND PLANNING Planning, GIS and Children’s Services, Community Engagement, SERVICES DEPARTMENT Environment Housing, Ontario Works and Seniors Programs 70 Pine Street, Bracebridge, Ontario P1L 1N3 Phone: 705-645-2100 Phone: 705-645-2412 www.muskoka.on.ca Fax: 705-645-2207 Fax: 705-645-4272 Christy Doyle, Director of Environmental and Watershed Programs, Distric... Page 91 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 12. While the District’s Water Quality Monitoring Program was suspended in 2020 due to COVID-19, as were most recreational monitoring programs across Ontario, it is anticipated that the Program will resume in 2021. Given that the Program examines trends and long-terms impacts, it is not anticipated that a year-long gap in sample collection will have a significant impact on the overall data. 2019 Trends in Data Sixty-eight of the 91 sites (75%) sampled in 2019 that had been sampled before had a spring phosphorus (TP) reading higher than the previous reading for the lake, taken in either 2018, 2017 or 2016, depending on the sample rotation. When comparing the 2019 spring phosphorus reading to the 10-year average for each lake, 48 of the 91 sites (53%) had an increase. This spike in phosphorus seen on many of the lakes in 2019 are likely attributed to both early spring flooding across the watershed combined with late ice-off conditions, although further monitoring and assessment of these results should continue to confirm this. Shoreline Land Use Surveys Since 2002, the Lake System Health Program has included shoreline land use surveys, which document all built structures, the condition of the shoreline and general land uses adjacent to the lake. This information is available for municipal planning programs as well as lake associations, Area Municipalities and other interested parties. In 2019, one lake, Peninsula Lake (HT/LOB) was partially surveyed. Biological Monitoring Program The District’s Biological Monitoring Program was developed in 2003 for lake associations interested in becoming more involved in lake monitoring and broader lake planning. The 2019 Biological Monitoring Program focused on the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network (OBBN) benthic protocol and benthic sampling occurred at 22 sites on 21 lakes and 1 river. In addition, hands-on workshops and presentations were given to over 800 youths through schools, camps, and community events throughout 2019. Though suspended in 2020, the program is anticipated to continue in 2021. Love Your Lake Program Though suspended in 2020 due to COVID-19, the District has supported the Love Your Lake shoreline assessment program since 2013, which is delivered by the Muskoka Watershed Council and funded by the Canadian Wildlife Federation and the Government of Canada through the Canada Summer Jobs program. This action-oriented program provides resources and training to local organizations with the goal to deliver engaging and effective programs to help landowners protect and restore their shorelines. In 2019, approximately 696 Love Your Lake shoreline assessments were carried out on Kahshe Lake (GR) and another 34 properties were assessed on Bass Lake (GR) with the assistance of the Kahshe Lake Ratepayers’ Association. Property reports from the 2018 assessments were available for order for residents on Bruce Lake (ML), McKay Lake (BR) and Lake Vernon (HT), and lake-wide reports were completed for these three lakes based on data collected through the Love Your Lake program in 2018. This Program is anticipated to be continued in 2021, though the participating lakes have yet to be confirmed. The Natural Edge The Natural Edge is a shoreline re-naturalization program administered in the Muskoka area by the Muskoka Watershed Council with the support of the District to encourage waterfront Christy Doyle, Director of Environmental and Watershed Programs, Distric... Page 92 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 12. property owners to plant native species along the water’s edge. The program was created by Watersheds Canada with funding support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Daniel and Susan Gottlieb Foundation (2019) and the Canadian Wildlife Federation and Love Your Lake (2020). The program is open to any shoreline property owner in Muskoka. Under the Natural Edge program, 17 site visits were conducted by District staff in 2019 on six lakes and included the development of planting plans for each property. Funding was received to subsidize five Shoreline Re-naturalization Starter Kits, and a total of 346 native plants were planted by landowners under the program on approximately 110 metres of shoreline. The Natural Edge program continued in 2020, with 24 site visits carried out across Muskoka area watersheds and 16 Shoreline Re-naturalization Starter Kits distributed, including a well-publicized project spearheaded by the Lake of Bays Association at the South Portage Dock on Lake of Bays. In total, 1,318 native plants were planted on over 340 metres of shoreline. Data Availability Lake Data Sheets for individual lakes that track change over time are available upon request or can be downloaded from the Muskoka Water Web site (www.muskokawaterweb.ca). Lake Data Sheets for lakes monitored in 2019 are included in the enclosed Lake System Health Water Quality Monitoring Program 2019 Annual Report, which is also available online at http://www.muskoka.on.ca/en/live-and-play/Lake-System-Health.aspx. We are pleased to share this information with you and we are available to present this information to Lake of Bays Council upon request. On our behalf, please advise Council that this material is available and should questions arise or additional material be required, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Yours truly, Christy Doyle, MES (Pl), MCIP, RPP Director of Environmental and Watershed Programs Christy Doyle, Director of Environmental and Watershed Programs, Distric... Page 93 of 97 AGENDA ITEM # 13. Hydro One Networks Inc. Forestry Services 99 Caplan Ave. PO Box 5400 Barrie Ontario L4M 6T6 Hydro One – Forestry Maintenance Program Dear Resident: Re: Vegetation Maintenance Program I am writing to inform you that Hydro One is scheduled to complete vegetation maintenance on the right-of-way in your community in 2021. Hydro One performs routine maintenance to ensure the safety and reliability of our power lines. This work is essential to prevent unnecessary service interruptions, allow easy and safe access for our crews to perform emergency repairs on the power lines and to keep the right-of-way safe for public use. The work on the right-of-way in your community will include the removal of incompatible vegetation, including brush (vegetation less than four inches in diameter) and dead, diseased or hazardous trees. Vegetation that requires removal will be marked with orange paint/tape and the vegetation that requires trimming will be marked with blue paint/tape. If trees are removed from your property, all wood will be left on-site. In areas where there is a higher density of brush, mechanical equipment may be used. If you have any questions regarding the planned work, please contact Andy Stevens at (705) 644-4792 or by email at [email protected]. If you are a tenant, we ask that you forward this letter to the property owner. Thank you for your co-operation as we complete this important work. Sincerely, Andrew Stevens Forestry Technician Hydro One Forestry Services Cell: 705-644-4792 Email: [email protected] R00 December 19, 2014 – R01 Hydro One re: Correspondence regarding 2021 Vegetation Maintenance Progr...Page 94 of 97 Hydro One re: Correspondence regarding 2021 Vegetation Maintenance Progr... 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