Municipal impacts due to renewed COVID restrictions – Springwater

Release/Township of Springwater

Effective Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 12:01 a.m., the Ontario government is temporarily moving the province into a modified version of Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopen. 

These time-limited measures will help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed as the province continues to accelerate its booster dose rollout. 

Measures include, but are not limited to: 

• Moving all publicly funded and private schools to remote learning until at least January 17, subject to public health trends and operational considerations. 
• Limiting indoor social gatherings and organized public events to 5 people. 
• Requiring businesses and organizations to ensure employees work remotely unless the nature of their work requires them to be on-site. 
• Limiting indoor weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites and ceremonies to 50% capacity of the particular room. 
• Limiting retail settings, including shopping malls, to 50% capacity. 
• Limiting personal care services to 50% capacity. 
• Closing indoor meeting and event spaces with limited exceptions but permitting outdoor spaces to remain open with restrictions. 
• Closing indoor dining at restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments. Outdoor dining with restrictions, takeout, drive through and delivery is permitted. 
• Closing indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities. Outdoor facilities are permitted to operate but with limited spectators and other requirements.

As a result of the framework under the modified Step Two, the following Springwater municipal services, facilities and amenities are affected. These measures will be in place as of Tuesday, January 4 at 12:01 a.m. 

• All Township facilities, including the Township Administration Centre, the Elmvale Community Arena, Fire Halls and public works yards, are closed to the public until further notice. Staff are available to assist residents by phone or email. Contact information is available at springwater.ca/contact.  
• Outdoor rinks are open with physical distancing measures in effect. 
• The Elmvale, Midhurst and Minesing branches of the Springwater Public Library are open for curbside service only. Visit springwater.library.on.ca for details.  
• Community halls remain unavailable for venue rental at this time. 

For additional information on the measures and restrictions under the modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen, visit news.ontario.ca/en/release/1001394/ontario-temporarily-moving-to-modified-step-two-of-the-roadmap-to-reopen.  

For additional information on the status of COVID-19 in our area, visit the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit website at smdhu.org/COVID19. 

For additional information on how the Township of Springwater is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit springwater.ca/COVID19.