In compliance with the Ontario Essential Business list and the City’s Emergency Measures By-law, the City of Orillia is allowing property and lawn maintenance companies to operate effective May 1 and will reopen its Waste Diversion Site on May 4 with reduced hours and restrictions in place.
“After extensive communication and consultation with local MPP Jill Dunlop about essential property maintenance and lawn maintenance amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been deemed that work which addresses potential health, safety and sanitation issues can proceed starting May 1,” said Mayor Steve Clarke. “The health and safety of the Orillia community remains our top priority. All maintenance work must be completed while adhering to the strict safety protocols, such as physical distancing, which are still firmly in place.”
To help support property and lawn maintenance businesses and residents with essential waste disposal needs, the City is re-opening the Waste Diversion Site on May 4. The Waste Diversion Site, located at 100 Kitchener St., will be open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for essential loads only. Strict physical distancing measures will be in place and only Debit and Credit will be accepted – no cash.
Property and Lawn Maintenance – May 1, 2020
Property and lawn care businesses that are providing services strictly for safety, security or sanitation purposes will be allowed to operate as of May 1. These services include lawn cutting, dethatching, rolling, clearing yard and garden debris, fertilization and aeration. This includes clearing yards of refuse and debris, including the removal of animal excrement. In addition, as of May 1, residents may hire companies to open or maintain existing pools, so that stagnant and standing water can be removed, thus limiting mosquito breeding.
In accordance with provincial regulations, landscaping projects conducted by professional contractors for esthetic purposes cannot proceed at this time. These include, but are not limited to, planting of gardens, flowers and trees, and installing pergolas, patios, interlock walkways and driveways, among others.
Residents may undertake work on their own at any time in regards to property maintenance. As with any activity, all safety measures must be observed including physical distancing and proper sanitation.
Waste Diversion Site Re-opening – May 4, 2020
The City’s Waste Diversion Site will re-open Monday, May 4 with new restrictions on how people use the site, including the number of people allowed on the site, the types of materials that can be dropped off, acceptable payment methods, and hours of operation. Use of the landfill during the emergency should be limited to essential disposal requirements. The City continues to strongly advocate for people to stay at home as much as possible to stop the spread of COVID-19. Residents should only come to the Waste Diversion Site if absolutely necessary.
The Waste Diversion Site has the following operation restrictions in place with the health and safety of employees and customers in mind:
- Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed on weekends and statutory holidays.
- Debit or credit only. No cash.
- Essential loads only. Please do not bring in items that can be set at the curb like recycling and small loads of tagged garbage.
- Limiting the number of vehicles on the site at the same time to 10.
- Please note there may be significant wait times as a result.
- While in the lineup of vehicles to get into the landfill, all residents must stay in their vehicles and ensure that they are not blocking traffic on Kitchener Street or West Street.
- A staging area may be required within the Kitchener Park parking lot should significant line-ups occur. Please follow all signage and staff direction to assist in reducing wait times.
- All visitors to the site must maintain a physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) from anyone else at all times.
- Visitors must follow safety precautions and staff instructions.
The landfill has been temporarily closed to the general public since March 19, 2020 as a COVID-19 safety precaution.
For more information visit: orillia.ca/COVID-19
For more information on the COVID-19 Assessment Centre in Orillia visit: osmh.on.ca/covid-19/
For COVID-19 updates from the SMDHU visit: http://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/Promos/Novel-Coronavirus
