COVID-19 UPDATE FOR MAY 22, 2020

Below you will find today’s updates on the COVID-19 situation.​

My team and I are monitoring the situation closely and sharing resources and information here in our daily newsletter, on our COVID-19 Information Hub, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Our goal is to help you have the latest facts at your fingertips during this challenging time.

NEW TODAY

• New one-stop website for financial help
• Contact tracing app could be coming soon
• New support for Ontario apprentices
• New online portal for tourism and hospitality workers
• Reminder: City Parks
• Starting today: more access to NCC greenspace
• Donate cloth masks for vulnerable residents
• Have your say: tow trucks
• Spring flood watch is over
• Call for 2020 Project Proposals - South Nation Conservation Authority
• Reminder: Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance applications open Monday
• SNC’s Seasonal Conservation Areas and Boat Launches Are Now Open for Public Use
• Just Food 

New one-stop website for financial help

• There are a lot of government aid programs available; it can be hard to sift through everything and figure out your next move.
• The federal government has a new site where you can fill in basic information to see which of the programs you may be eligible for.
• Access the website here: https://covid-benefits.alpha.canada.ca/en/start
   

Contact tracing app could be coming soon

• Both Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford spoke today about the need for a contact tracing smartphone app to slow the spread of COVID-19.
• What is a contact tracing app? It’s an app that alerts users if they came in contact with a person who later tested positive for COVID-19.
• The Prime Minister said today that the federal government will soon be “strongly recommending” Canadians download a to-be-determined app.
• Premier Ford signaled today that the province would join in a nationwide smartphone app program.
• Contact tracing is currently done manually, via phone call. Here in Ottawa, public health staff reach out to family, friends, neighbours, caregivers, fellow travellers, work colleagues and anyone else who's had contact with people who've tested positive for COVID-19.
• An app would increase the capacity to trace contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
• There would be one app for the whole country.
• We’ll share more details as we have them.
   

New support for Ontario apprentices

• The province is launching the Ontario Tools Grant to help apprentices purchase equipment to start their careers.
• The funding amounts will be distributed as follows:
  
  • $1,000 for those in motive power sector trades
  • $600 for those in construction and industrial sector trades
  • $400 for those in service sector trades
• To be eligible for the new grant, apprentices must have completed level 1 training on or after April 1, 2020, have an active registered training agreement, and have been registered as an apprentice for at least 12 months.
• The province is also forgiving over $10 million in outstanding loans owed by apprentices for tool purchases. The Loans for Tools Program allowed new apprentices to purchase tools, equipment, clothing, manuals and code books needed for their trade. Roughly 19,000 apprentices who participated in the program owed, on average, $495.
• Government news release

New online portal for tourism and hospitality workers

• The Ontario government is launching a new online portal to help people who have lost their jobs in the tourism and hospitality industries.
• The new ‘Virtual Action Centre’ is expected to support up to 7,000 laid-off and unemployed workers by offering online counselling, stress management and mental health resources, immediate health and safety training and technical skills training.
• Government news release

Reminder: City Parks

• With the gorgeous weather, a reminder that city playgrounds and exercise equipment including swings and slides remain closed.
• Some outdoor sports facilities and fields including benches, picnic tables and gazebos are open for use but please practice physical distancing.
• Find out more: here

Starting today: more access to NCC greenspace

• The National Capital Commission (NCC) is broadening access to its parks and green spaces.
• As of 9 AM today, most parking lots on NCC urban lands, the Greenbelt and Gatineau Park are open to the public. That includes the parking lots at the NCC’s off-leash dog parks at Bruce Pit and Conroy Pit.
• Also, every weekend, more than half of NCC’s entire network of parkways is reserved for active users only – meaning pedestrians and cyclists – to facilitate safe physical distancing.
• NCC news release with more information.

Donate cloth masks for vulnerable residents

• Interested in donating cloth masks to those in need? 
• The City of Ottawa is seeking donations of masks and would love your help!
• Masks should be made of tightly woven cloth, no seams over the mouth and nose and ideally with horizontal pleats.
• Info here.
   

Have your say: tow trucks

• The City is taking a close look at how tow trucks are regulated in Ottawa. We have received complaints and concerns from the public about towing services on issues such as:
  
  • the fees charged for towing and storage of vehicles
  • how fees are communicated to consumers
  • how transactions and agreements for towing services occur
  • concerns about safety, such as aggressive sales tactics and accident chasing.
• You’re invited to share your experiences and opinions through an online survey, discussion forum and questionnaire on Engage Ottawa until June 30^th.
• You can also submit comments and questions can also be submitted via email (towingregulations@ottawa.ca).

Spring flood watch is over

• Attention Cumberland Ward: The Spring Freshet Flood Watch has officially ended for 2020. We can all breathe a little easier!
• Sand and bags are being removed from drop-off locations.
• The monitoring of City's rivers has now returned to normal operations.
• Thank you for sharing helpful information and tips, we appreciated your community support!
• Details: here
   

Call for 2020 Project Proposals - South Nation Conservation Authority

• An “Eastern Ontario Water Resources Management” study was completed in 2001.
• The study provided an overview of regional surface and ground water resources and established 35 recommendations for water resources protection.
• Since 2003, the study’s municipal and Conservation Authority partners have been implementing recommendations from the report through the Eastern Ontario Water Resources Program.
• This year, $25,000 in funding is available through the Program for not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, Conservation Authorities, and academic institutes to complete projects which address one or more of the recommendations.
• Project proposals are due on May 28, 2020 and will be reviewed by SNC’s Clean Water Committee at a virtual meeting on June 8, 2020. Invitation letters were shared with prospective agencies earlier this spring.
• Applicants are encouraged to contact Ronda Boutz, SNC’s Special Project Lead, to further discuss their project proposal at 1-877-984-2948. More info at www.nation.on.ca/eowrp.
   

Reminder: Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance applications open Monday

• The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program will start taking applications on Monday, May 25^th.
• The program will give forgivable loans to landlords so they can reduce the rent for small business tenants impacted by COVID-19. 
• ‘Impacted’ small business tenants are businesses paying less than $50,000/month in rent and have temporarily closed or seen a 70%+ drop in pre-COVID-19 revenues.
• The loans to property owners would cover half of the rent payable by small business tenants in April, May and June.
• To receive the loan, property owners must reduce the rent of small business tenants for April to June by at least 75% and pledge not to evict the tenant.
• Here is the rent breakdown:
  
  • Tenants (small businesses) pay 25%
  • Landlords will absorb 25%
  • The Federal government and Provincial government share the remaining 50%
• Applications will be accepted through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation website beginning on Monday, May 25, and application documents can be accessed now.

SNC’s Seasonal Conservation Areas and Boat Launches Are Now Open for Public Use

• For eager anglers and boaters from across South Nation Conservation’s (SNC) 
• SNC has re-opened public boat launches, river access points and select Conservation Areas, with certain COVID-19 precautions in place.

The following Conservation Areas and municipal partner sites for river access and boat launching are all open as of May 19^th:

• High Falls and Doran Park Conservation Areas (Casselman)
• St. Albert Conservation Area (St. Albert)
• Crysler Park Boat Launch (Crysler)
• Embrun Boat Launch (Embrun)
• Cass Bridge Conservation Area (Winchester)
• Jessup's Falls Conservation Area (Plantagenet) 
• McIntosh Park Conservation Area (Berwick)
• Findlay Creek Conservation Area (Ottawa)
• Alfred Bog Walk (Alfred)
• Chesterville Waterfront Docks and Boat Launch (Chesterville)

The following Conservation Areas continue to remain open and maintained:

• Two Creek Forest Conservation Area (Morrisburg)
• Oschmann Forest Conservation Area (Ormond)
• Robert Graham Conservation Area (Glen Stewart) 
• Warwick Forest Conservation Area (Berwick)
• J. Henry Tweed Conservation Area (Russell)
• W. E. Burton Conservation Area (Russell)
• Reveler Conservation Area (Crysler)
• Nokomis Park (Limoges)

The following Conservation Areas will remain temporarily closed:

• Camp Sheldrick Conservation Area (Winchester)
• Oak Valley Pioneer Park Conservation Area (Winchester Springs)

Play structures and washrooms will remain closed for now; picnic tables will return to gazebos and picnic areas beginning next week.

Please use safe and appropriate fishing locations.

People can learn more or donate to SNC online at www.nation.on.ca/donate.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Taylor Campbell, Communications Specialist, 1-877-984-2948, tcampbell@nation.on.ca.

Just Food

SeedLing Saturday (Some Spots Still Available) 

Just Food is hosting a SeedLing Saturday this weekend at the Just Food Farm! 

Includes pre-order and pick-up sales as well as on-site sale options.

WHEN: Saturday, May 23 
4 time slots to choose from
10am- SOLD OUT,
11am - HALF FULL,
12pm - Some spots still available
1pm - Some spots still available
WHERE: Just Food Farm, 2391 Pepin Court
RSVP: is a must!

We will only be allowing 60 people on-site at a time. 

To register, please click on the time slot you would like to attend.(We will email later registrants if seedlings are sold out).

Acceptable payment methods include online pre-payment, tap payment on-site and cash.

Vendors Selling On-site and pre-order online

• Capital Greens: tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchinis
  • Order here: https://capitalgreensurbanfarm.square.site/
  • Capital Greens will be doing pickup only. Please order ahead of time
• Nanabush Food Forest: food forest plant exchange
• Get Up & Grow: tomatoes
• Against the Grain: seeds, house plants, flour/ grain products
• The Chi Garden: crosne seeds (or Japanese artichokes), sunchokes
  • Order here: https://openfoodnetwork.ca/the-chi-garden/shop
• Flat Earth Farm: tomatoes 
  • Order here: https://openfoodnetwork.ca/flat-earth-farm/shop
• And more!

Health Guidelines 

The COVID-19 regulations set out by Ottawa Public Health will be in effect for all customers, including physical distancing. Please see further health guidelines below:

• Tables will be spaced and limited in number to avoid overcrowding, with people asked to maintain 6 feet from each other at all times.
• One-way traffic for both cars into and off the property, as well as one-way traffic for customers around the tables.
• Separate pick-up-only area for pick-up orders, with tables spaced apart from each other.
• Limited conversation time to maintain flow - people are encouraged to get in and out efficiently.
• No touching the plants unless purchased. Only looking at what is on the table to keep distancing in mind.