City activates Emergency Operations Centre as next level response to Covid-19 pandemic

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BRANTFORD, ON: The City of Brantford has been proactively monitoring the rapidly evolving Covid-19 pandemic since January 10, 2020. As the number of cases in Ontario and the surrounding area increased earlier this month, the City initiated a Covid-19 Emergency Management Planning Committee (EMPC) to monitor, respond to and mitigate the spread of Covid-19 in our community. 

Today, the City activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to provide additional supports, management and heightened coordination with partner agencies to respond to the threat of an outbreak of Covid-19 in our community. The EOC will focus efforts on:

  • Continuity and contingency plans to continue delivering essential services throughout the Covid-19 pandemic response.
  • Managing global supply chain challenges for personal protective equipment, like masks and gloves for frontline workers and first responders.
  • Actions undertaken to protect vulnerable populations, such as those experiencing homelessness or in City-run long-term care homes
  • Developing, sharing and continually updating vital information for residents and visitors to the city with daily reporting updates across the City’s digital platforms.

“While the City has been meeting and planning for a potential outbreak in our community for several weeks now, with a confirmed case in our area and probable cases being followed, activating the EOC is the appropriate next phase in the City’s Covid-19 pandemic planning and response”, said Chief Administrative Officer and Brantford’s EOC Commander, Brian Hutchings.

In addition to activating the EOC and announcements to date regarding mitigation efforts to limit community spread in public spaces throughout the city, the following additional preventative measures will go into effect immediately:

Cemetery Services

In an effort to keep the City’s Cemetery staff and the families we serve safe, the City of Brantford Cemeteries’ Administration Office at Mount Hope Cemetery be open by appointment only to families making at need arrangements for interments. To make interment arrangements, please contact the office at 519-753-0313.

To ensure social distancing measures can be practiced, attendance to the office to make arrangements with City staff will be limited to two (2) family members. If you are feeling ill, have travelled internationally recently or have been in contact with an individual that is ill, please do not attend the Cemetery Office.

 For non-urgent matters, please contact the Cemetery Office by email at: cemeteries@brantford.ca.

 To limit personal contact and protect our staff and the families we serve, we are also taking the following precautions, effective immediately:

  • Witnessing of the lowering of the casket or interment of cremated remains and the closing of the grave will only be permitted from a predetermined distance at this time. Attendees are not permitted to touch or operate any equipment or the lowering device.
  • Cemetery staff will not assist with pall-bearing.
  • Cemetery offices will be responding to phone calls and emails.  Mount Hope Cemetery office doors will be locked, cemetery staff will be accepting appointments for at-need families only and will be only be permitting two (2) family members in the office at a time. 
  • We ask those that are unwell, those that have been around an individual that has been unwell or those who have travelled out of country in the last two weeks not come to the cemetery office.

We recognize the sensitivities associated with these services and sincerely appreciate the support and understanding of residents in keeping our staff and the families we serve safe at this unprecedented time.

Household Hazardous Waste Events

The Household Hazardous Waste Day Event scheduled for April 4th at the Mohawk Street Landfill Site has been cancelled.  Residents are asked to store and bring materials to an event later in the year.  Please check the City’s website regularly for future availability of this event.

2020 Capital Projects

Based on the City’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the City’s 2020 Capital Projects have been prioritized into three (3) categories; Proceeding, On Hold, or Deferred to next year.

 Proceeding in April 2020

  • Herbert Street from Charing Cross Street to HWY 403
  • Wellington Street
  • Bruce Street
  • West Street from Charing Cross Street to the HWY 403

 On Hold

  • Elgin Street – From CN Bridge to Rawdon Street
  • Woodlawn Avenue (From Balmoral Drive to Cambridge Drive)
  • Avondale Street and Avondale Crescent (All of Avondale Street and Avondale Crescent, Lyndhurst Street to the dead end)

 Deferred

 Projects related to St. James Street/Albion Street and St. Paul Avenue/Elmwood Avenue/Alpha Crescent have been deferred to 2021.

TRANSIT SERVICES

 Brantford Transit continues its efforts to provide enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures for the City’s entire bus fleet. All Transit buses are cleaned and disinfected every 24 hours using a long lasting anti-microbial disinfectant cleaner. The enhanced cleaning regimen also includes additional disinfecting on frequent touch points with focus on fare collection machines, handrails, buttons, seats and straps.

Staggered seating is consistently encouraged and bus operators are reminding passengers to socially distance from each other. Distance has been created for the bus drivers by closing off the first row of seats behind the bus operator. Staggered seating areas are clearly marked by caution tape and signs. Each bus automated voice callout system has also been updated to remind passengers to wash their hands and follow Covid-19 best practices as instructed by the driver.

Ridership on all routes is currently under assessment and any updates to services or route schedules will be communicated publicly accordingly.

“I also want to take this opportunity to thank the residents of Brantford for their ongoing support, understanding and cooperation during this unprecedented time. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures and I’m very grateful to be surrounded by hard working, committed professionals who are up to this challenge”, added Hutchings.

Complete List of Closures and Cancellations 

For the most up to date information regarding City programs and services that have been suspended until at least April 5, 2020 please visit: brantford.ca/closures

Health inquiries

In the city of Brantford, the BCHU is the lead agency for local information about Coronavirus (Covid-19). If symptoms require medical attention, residents are asked to:

  • call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000
  • call BCHU at 519-753-4937 or visit bchu.org
  • call their health-care provider
  • call 911, if you need immediate medical assistance
  • if you plan to go to the emergency department call ahead at 519-751-5818.

Any additional updates regarding City programs and services, and the continuity of essential services will be shared regularly on the City’s Facebook and Twitter pages and at brantford.ca/Covid-19.

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Media Contact

Maria Visocchi - Director, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Brantford | 519.751.9900 ext. 5754 |  mvisocchi@brantford.ca

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