IMPORTANT reminder for community residents to follow COVID-19 public health and safety guidelines

With the Easter weekend and the April school break coming up, local residents are reminded of how critically important it is to follow public health guidelines to keep everyone safe as we continue the fight against COVID-19 and its contagious variants of concern from spreading throughout the community.

The City of Brantford and the County of Brant remain in the Red-Control level of the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework until further notice. This means broader-scale measures and restrictions across multiple sectors remain firmly in place to control the rate of transmission in our area.

For the upcoming holiday weeks/weekends, the following gathering restrictions must be followed:

Indoor household gatherings are limited to 5 people, including those that reside in the household. Close contact should only occur between those within the same household
If there are 5 people residing in a household, then no additional guests are permitted.
If there are more than 5 people who reside in the same household (for example, a family of six or more) no one in the dwelling is required to relocate while the limit on social gatherings is limited to 5.
Outdoor gatherings are restricted to 25 people total (including those that reside at the residence)
The fine under the Re-Opening Ontario Act for a 1^st time offence is $750 plus court costs. Fines increase on repeat offences.

While vaccination efforts in our communities are well underway, it is still NECESSARY to continue following all COVID-19 public health guidelines until a larger percentage of people in our communities receive their vaccine.

“We certainly understand that as vaccine efforts intensify, people are eager to have things return to pre-COVID normal, but we are simply still not there yet,” said Acting MOH Dr. Elizabeth Urbantke. “Our region has seen COVID-19 cases spike after holidays and long weekends in the past. We all need to do our part to ensure that this trend does not continue by limiting close contact to those in our own households only.”

The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Advisory Committee, made up of organizations within The City of Brantford, The County of Brant and Six Nations of the Grand River, fully supports the MOH’s statements to underscore that residents and businesses play a very vital role in slowing the spread of virus transmission in our communities.

We are now into the second year of the pandemic and, with future waves a very real possibility, we gratefully acknowledge the outstanding efforts of local public health officials and health care workers who care for us and keep us safe. We are hopeful we can overcome this crisis once a larger percentage of people receives the vaccine. Until that time, we urge residents to remain vigilant in following safety precautions. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Let’s protect each other

✅ avoid any close contact or interactions with people outside your household
✅ stay home if you have symptoms of COVID-19, even if they are mild
✅ wash your hands thoroughly and regularly throughout the day
✅ cover your cough
✅ download the COVID Alert mobile app

Report a COVID-19 Violation in the City of Brantford

City of Brantford By-law Officers will be on duty throughout the long weekend and will respond to complaints that are received.

To report a violation of a provincial order implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Brantford, citizens can visit brantford.ca/Covid-19violations and use the online reporting form or call the City’s Customer Contact Centre at 519-759-4150. Please note that the Brant County Health Unit is responsible for enforcing Ontario Ministry of Health directives, such as non-compliance related to self-isolation or quarantine. To report a COVID-19 violation to the BCHU, please call 519-753-4937 and press ‘1’. The public is reminded that 9-1-1 is to be used for emergencies only and not for reporting COVID-19 violations.

Report a COVID-19 violation in the County of Brant

To ask a question or lodge a complaint regarding COVID-19 restrictions, please contact the Joint Enforcement Team which includes collaboration from County of Brant By-law, OPP and the Brant County Health Unit. To report a violation of a provincial order in the County of Brant, please email COVID-19@brant.ca or call the COVID-19 dedicated phone line at 519.761.8391. For issues that occur on weekends, after hours and on statutory/public holidays that require immediate response, please contact the County of Brant 519.442.2241 (after hours number) or the OPP at *OPP or 1.888.310.1122.

About the EOC

The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Advisory Committee is made up of the organizations outlined below, working together to prevent and control community spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 in our region.

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Media Contact
Maria Visocchi – Emergency Information Officer
519.751.9900 ext. 5754 | mvisocchi@brantford.ca

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