COVID 19 Warwick Updates

Warwick Township staff are providing services from home where possible.

Inquiries can be made by phone between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 519-849-3926 or by e-mail to info@warwicktownship.ca. 

The Township continues to offer By-law Enforcement services. To limit public interaction, residents are now required to file their complaints via phone or e-mail.

To report an issue call 519-849-3926 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. of e-mail to info@warwicktownship.ca. 

Staff remains mobilized and remote work/access is live and functioning.

Our team continues to be healthy and ready to go.

PROCEDURES

Applications
All applications can be dropped off at the County of Lambton Administration Building in Wyoming.
County Building remains open Monday to Friday 8:30-4:30 - no public access permitted.
There is an all-hours drop off slot - please utilize this option if you are able.
If the package submittal is too large to place in the all hours drop off - please call 519-845-5420 between 8:30-4:30 and I will meet at the front door for the "drop and go"scenerio.
Applications must be completed prior to your arrival. Building permit applications are available online. We will contact you directly by email or phone if there are any issues with the application.

Please know - if a meeting "in person" is absolutely necessary - this will be arranged - please call 519-845-5420 to discuss and schedule same.

Permits
Permits are being issued at this time with disclaimers due to a Provincial Order. Building at thsi time is not permitted unless considered a nexessary support for an essential purposed.

Inspections
Call the office directly 519-845-5420 for all inspections
Also with respect to inspections - if you could provide as much notice as possible - a day prior is greatly appreciated and more notice - even better.

Reminder of the social distancing provisions - the less people the better, on the job site - this way all our work families stay healthy.
A vacant construction where able - would be appreciated and is preferred.

Inspectors
If you need to speak to an inspector call our main line (519-845-5420) and you will be transferred to them - if they are unavailable, left a message - they will call you back..
Please limit these calls where you are able so as to keep staff focused in the field etc.
Alternatively, email the inspector directly or inspect@county-lambton.on.ca and I will ensure the email reaches the appropriate staff member.

Questions can be directed to Corrine Nauta, Cheif Building Official at 1-866-324-6912 or corrine.nauta@county.lambton.on.ca.

Council is now meeting electronically. Publi notice of electronic meetings will be provided.

All electronic meetings will be livestreamed to the Township's YouTube channel at youtube.com/channel/.

Meeting information and schedules will be updated at the Council & Comittee Calendar.

The Township of Warwick Fire and Rescue Department remains fully functional. We are taking precautionary measures to ensure that volunteer firefighters can attend emergencies.

Updates to our services include:

• Volunteer firefighters will still respond to incidents, however, you may see members wearing personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, and protective eyewear. This is for their protection. To decrease the risk of exposure to our firefighters, we are asking all residents to ensure their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are functioning properly to reduce the number of false alarm calls.
• Volunteer firefighters has been advised on best practices related to social distancing.
• Public Education and Prevention activities have been temporarily suspended.
• At this time we would ask that all correspondence be done by phone or e-mail.

At this time, garbage and recycling collection is not impacted. Collection in Watford will continue as per the existing schedule.

Operations at the Twin Creeks Landfill continue with regular business hours. Property owners in the can take their household waste and recycling to Waste Management of Canada's Twin Creeks Landfill Site located at 5768 Nauvoo Road at no charge.

The March 28, 2020 Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) event at Clean Harbors in St. Clair Township is cancelled. The event for April 25, 2020 at Clean Harbors is currenltly going to proceed as scheduled. More information can be found on the Household Hazardous Waste website.

The following information was provided by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) regarding lottery licence events affected by COVID-19.

Options for Charitable Lotteries during the COVID-19 pandemic

This message is to help municipalities that license charitable lottery schemes in Ontario understand their options in light of the societal impact of COVID-19. These are truly exceptional times that are affecting all aspects of our lives. We wish to offer as much guidance and support as we can to all those who rely on the AGCO’s services.

The AGCO has received a number of inquiries from charities asking about pausing their raffle draws and events. We wanted to share with municipalities the response the AGCO is providing to charities, so that you may use similar language with your licensees if you choose.

Terms and Conditions attached to current lottery licences

Due to uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AGCO Registrar is providing as much flexibility as possible in the application of the Terms and Conditions attached to current lottery licences.  

For example:

1. For licences where the event has not yet started, licensees may choose to not begin sales until the pandemic concerns have passed.

2. For current raffle licensees that have started ticket sales, each situation will need to be considered on its own merits. You will need to consider whether it is appropriate under the circumstances to extend the sale of tickets, even though it would have the effect of reducing the odds of winning for anyone who has already purchased a ticket. You will also need to consider whether it is appropriate under these exceptional circumstances to postpone the raffle draw date altogether. Both options are available to you.

3. For Break Open Ticket licensees who have started ticket sales, you may consider extending the term of ticket sales.

4. For bingo licensees who are unable to conduct their events, you may consider extending the term of your event.

Although the Premier of Ontario announced a state of emergency for the province, he was also clear that this is not a lock-down of the province. Certain sectors regulated by the AGCO continue to operate and as long as they do, we will continue supporting them and conducting our regulatory activities to make sure they continue to operate with honesty, integrity and in the public interest.

We share everyone’s concerns about the toll the outbreak of this virus is taking on our communities and the charities, businesses, individuals and families that are affected by it. We appreciate the difficult times we are all facing and we’re here to support you as we all continue working through these challenges together.

The safety of all Ontarians is the OPP's top priority. There are currently no changes to our frontline operations.

Report less serious incidents online at opp.ca/reporting. For non-emergencies call 1-888-310-1122.

In case of emergency, call 911.

The OPP encourages businesses to voluntarily comply with all short-term restrictions. Education, awareness and compliance are preferred options, but officers will apply discretion whether to launch any enforcement actions such as:

• Offences relating to non-essential businesses that remain open in contravention of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. (EMCPA).
• Offences relating to gatherings of more than five people in contravention of the EMCPA.
• Quarantine Act violations at the request of a screening officer or quarantine officer.

What are essential businesses?

Essential businesses include, but are not limited to:

• grocery stores and pharmacies
• telecommunications and IT infrastructure service providers
• businesses that support power generation, natural gas distribution and clean drinking water

Essential businesses are being asked to put into place any and all measures to safeguard the wellbeing of their employees on the frontlines. A list of essential businesses can be found on the Government of Ontario website.

The following establishments are required to remain closed until further notice:

• Bars and restaurants, except to the extent that such facilities provide takeout and food delivery
• Facilities providing indoor recreational programs
• Public libraries
• Private schools
• Licensed child care centres
• Movie cinemas and all theatres, including those offering live performances of music, dance and other art forms
• Concert venues
• Communal or shared, public or private outdoor recreational amenities

If you wish to file a report regarding a non-essential business remaining open, contact your police service of jurisdiction. If that is the OPP, call 1-888-310-1122 or your local OPP detachment.

If you wish to file a report regarding non-compliance under the Quarantine Act, contact Public Health Agency of Canada.

If I have to close my business, how do I keep it safe? 

Here's some tips for business owners impacted by the closures, in an effort to ensure your property is less attractive to thieves.

• Remove all valuables from storefront displays
• Remove all cash from tills and leave open with the cash tray out and visibly empty
• Ensure alarm systems are working and all contact lists are up to date
• Post on doors and windows that the premises are monitored by an alarm company and that no money is kept on the premises

Are there COVID-19 scammers out there?

It's important to give and to receive help during challenging times such as COVID-19. But can you trust just anyone?

Be mindful when accepting offers for help. Minimize risks by relying on family, friends and neighbours for support. Beware when accepting offers from unfamiliar people, who may see these challenging times as an opportunity to take advantage of those in need.

If you receive a call from a business or government agency asking you for money or personal information, hang up, do research and talk to those you trust. Cybercriminals are capitalizing on public concern surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak with increasing numbers of phishing attacks through email, text message and telephone - with the end goal of stealing information and delivering malware.

These phishing attacks include communications through call, text or email, camouflaged to appear as originating from legitimate organizations, OPP or OPP officials, asking recipients to share sensitive information such as usernames and passwords or to open malicious attachments or transfer funds.

A list of identified COVID-19/coronavirus-related scams is available from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

If you are the victim of a scam, it’s crucial to report it to both the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and your police service of jurisdiction. If that is the OPP, visit opp.ca/reporting.

Go to the Government of Canada website for information and resources on how to be prepared during the COVID-19 outbreak.

From physical distancing to buying only what you need, during times of crisis we all need to work together to flatten the curve and keep our communities safe.

Please know - we are here to assist as you deem appropriate, as always.

https://www.opp.ca/

https://www.opp.ca/news/#/viewnews/5e84cfd7673c2

All Township of Warwick recreation facilities are closed. This includes:

• Watford Arena
• Centennial Hall
• Warwick Community Centre 

Refunds will be processed for any rentals that have been cancelled as a result of the closures.

Closure of all outdoor recreational amenities

Under Provincial Emergency Order, all outdoor recreational amenities are now closed. This includes, but is not limited to: playgrounds, sports fields, basketball and tennis courts, off-leash dog parks, BMX parks, picnic areas, outdoor community gardens, park shelters, outdoor exercise equipment, apartment and condo parks and gardens, and other outdoor recreational amenities.

Rental Requests

We are accepting requests for future rentals but they will not be approved until our facilities have re-opened. You may request a booking through:

• Submitting an online request
• Calling 519-849-3926 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or
• E-mailing messelment@warwicktownship.ca

Road operations including road and streetlight maintenance continues as normal. All maintenance requests or notifications must now be done via e-mail or by phone.

If you have an emergency related to roads, please contact the Public Works Emergency phone at 519-490-5684.

Tax bills were issued in late January. The first installment was due on February 28. The next installment will be due on Apri 30. 

Payments

Payments can be made by various methods. View information on available payment options.

Message from MPAC

MPAC has updated our website to reflect the Province's decision to delay the Assessment Update - https://www.mpac.ca/HowAssessmentWorks/2020AssessmentUpdate.  

We have also created a Partner Update page where we will post any changes to MPAC's processes and frequently asked questions - https://www.mpac.ca/COVID19UpdatesourPartners.

Consider following MPAC on our social media platforms for real-time updates and information -MPAC on LinkedIn, @MPAC_Ontario on Twitter, or MPAC on YouTube. 

At this time there will be no interruption to the water and wastewater billings. As a reminder, the following locations will be billed in the next few months as planned:

• Watford - on a monthly basis (included on your Bluewater Power bill)
• Warwick Village and rural area - billed as of March 31, due on April 30

Payments

Payments can be made by various methods. View information on available payment options.

Water and Wastewater

Water and Wastewater services will general be provided in the normal fashion. Urgent matters including watermain breaks, sewage back-ups, etc. will continue to be handled on an as need basis and should be reported by phone or through our website.

If you have an emergency related to water or sewer, please call 1 (888) 522-0117.

We are on the list of essential businesses, so we will continue to be here for our customers, it will be business as usual BUT our doors will remain locked to do our part during this pandemic.

We are available by telephone 519-876-2538 or email rickbebingh@execulink.com thanks for your understanding in this difficult time!

Stay safe everyone!

Please read this Important Update from Bluewater Power Regarding Electricity Rates

Dear Friend,

The COVID-19 virus has raised concerns for all of us in our community. At Bluewater Power, we prepare year-round for the unexpected to ensure that we can continue to deliver a reliable supply of electricity to you. We have put our pandemic plans into action and there is no higher priority for us than the health, safety and well-being of our customers, our employees and our community.

We have ONE overriding message: We are here to help YOU!

• Recognizing the uncertainty we all are facing, Bluewater Power will work with customers to provide flexible payment terms and we will not disconnect customers during this time of uncertainty. Customers seeking financial assistance programs can find information at www.bluewaterpower.com/app/uploads/2020/03/Anupdate-to-our-Community.pdf
• We have heard from some customers requesting reductions in pricing. Please know that the Ontario Energy Board sets rates and we do not have the authority to change pricing at Bluewater Power. We are however, working with the Ministry of Energy and our industry on a plan to help our customers with this issue. Please stay tuned!
• To report a power outage, hazard, electrical emergency (e.g. downed power lines) or damage to Bluewater Power’s equipment, call us at (519) 337-8201, option 1. You can also keep up to date on outages through our online outage map at https://outages.bluewaterpower.com/outages or by following our social media accounts (Twitter and Facebook @BluewaterPower).
• Now is a good time to take advantage of the self-serve options we offer. For convenient, secure, 24/7 access to your Bluewater Power account, simply create an online account at: https://myaccount.bluewaterpower.com/Account/Register
• Please remember that scammers do not take a break and they continue to target our customers! We would only ask for personal information to verify your identity and we would certainly NOT demand payment using gift cards.
• We are truly committed to being here for you! Our professional and compassionate Customer Service representatives can assist you with any inquiry you may have. While you may experience slower than usual response times as we work hard to handle a higher volume of calls, rest assured that we are committed to providing you with the best overall service we can! Contact us by phone at (519) 337-8201 or emailus@bluewaterpower.com.

If you need to reach me directly, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at jmcmichael-dennis@bluewaterpower.com.

Please stay well, keep the faith and know that we will get through this together!

Janice McMichael-Dennis President & CEO Bluewater Power Group of Companies

All parcels delivered through Canada Post are being rerouted to the Post Office in Strathroy, 62 Front Street. The Strathroy Post Office can be contacted at 519-246-1560.

We are closed to the public until further notice to do our part to flatten the curve. 

We are offering all services with the exception of public funerals and visitations. 

We will be offering fully live streamed services with the ability for immediate family to be in attendance at the funeral home.  

Our community members should know that as always when the need arises and they have a death in their family to call us. We will walk them through all steps and make them comfortable with whatever transpired as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Dollar Haven is operating the following hours until further notice:

Monday to Saturday - 10am-5pm

Sunday - Closed

The Tel-Check program provides a daily phone call to elderly or people with disabilities living alone in our community.

More information can be found in the Tel-Check Brochure.

The amazing volunteers at the Watford Food Bank are not letting the Corona Virus stop them from helping out those in need in the Watford community.

The Food Bank continues to be open at the Watford United Church on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Volunteers will be putting together boxes and will have them ready for their clients when they come to the door. This will limit exposure for everyone involved and ensure that everyone is adhering to the recommended social distancing.

If anyone has any questions please contact Maryanne Cundick at 226-377-5158.

As of March 31 we are asking that any donations be dropped off Tuesday from 10:00am - 11:00 am at the Watford United Church.

A special thank you to Maryanne and all of her volunteers for your commitment to helping those in need.

Watford Foodland is working hard to restock their shelves so they can continue their fantastic service within our community throughout these difficult times.

Due to the issues surrounding the Corona Virus, beginning March 20th, Foodland will open their doors to seniors only from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. each day. Please respect these new protocols to allow senior time to shop with minimal exposure to the virus as our senior population is the most vulnerable.

Those who are unable to leave their homes during this crisis can call Watford Foodland at 519-876-3011 between 8 a.m. and noon each day to place their grocery orders.  Warwick Township Council members have agreed to help out by delivering needed supplies to Warwick Township residents between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. when needed.

Yes! We are open, but the way we process transactions has changed.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health advisory, FAS has decided to make some changes on how we operate.

Starting on Wednesday March 18th, our stores will have a closed door service offering leave outs / parking lot pickups.

Orders can be called in to the store, we will prepare them and process payment via credit card over the phone or by charging to an existing FAS account.

All items we offer in the store area are still available in this format. Please remember that alcohol due to federal restrictions must be sold face-to-face, so it will not be available on leave out.

To our customers, we are asking that our customers follow the 14 day isolation if you have traveled out of country.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but in the interest of our customers, our employees and our community as a whole we believe these actions are our best temporary solution.

FOREST: 519-786-2763 or 519-786-6520

Happy Home is open regular hours for take-out orders only. 

Tuesday to Friday - 11:00am to 9:00pm

Saturday - 3:00pm to 9:00pm

Sunday - 1:00pm to 8:00pm

Closed Monday

This message is notification of a voluntary closure of Heads or Nails until March 30, 2020. We feel that this is our responsibility to our community, family and friends to flatten the curve for non-essential services (Yes, haircuts aren’t life threatening!) and for the safety and protection of families, both yours and ours.

For those of you who have tanning packages, we will extend your time. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

If you already have an appointment booked within the time frame of March 16-March 28, please call Heads or Nails at 519-876-2241 to reschedule. Again, sorry for the inconvenience.

We will keep our fingers crossed that this two week isolation will stop the critical germ spread.

To our valued customers.

We are continually taking measures to participate in social distancing and attempting to “flatten the curve” across our nation. Watford Home Hardware is now closed for public access. 

We will be open and in the store – available by phone (519) 849-2219 but our doors will be locked. We will be at the store Monday to Friday, 7am- 5pm,  Saturday 8am -5pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.

We understand the impact that this may have on our community.  We are still considered an essential service to our community.  We are offering 3 ways to purchase the items you may need:

1)     Call our Store at 519-849-2219 during store hours to place your order or to speak with us regarding any other inquiries.  If you 1^st browse online at www.homehardware.ca and call us with a sku# this will be helpful to ensure there is less confusion and your order is placed accurately.  If this is not an option that is ok – just give us a call we are here to help you out the best we can.     

2)     Browse online at www.homehardware.ca and email your order into us at orders.watfordhomehardware@gmail.com

3)     Browse online at www.homehardware.ca and order right from the website – ordering this way your order will arrive at the store the following Tuesday after the order has been placed.

When your order is ready, we’ll call you to arrange for payment as well as set up your preferred method to collect order.  Our current options for order collection:

1)     Curb side pick up at our store

2)     Delivery within our servicing area (may be subject to delivery charge).

At this time our preferred method of payment is debit or credit transactions or online e-transfer.

We all have to do our part in these extraordinary times, and the health of our staff and community is of the utmost importance.

Thank you.

Ontario Energy Board COVID-19 UPDATE - Time-of-use pricing

The Government of Ontario issued an Emergency Order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. As a result, starting on March 24, 2020, residential and small business customers on time-of-use (TOU) pricing will pay 10.1 ¢/kWh no matter what time of day the electricity is consumed. This means that TOU customers will be paying the off-peak price throughout the day as long as the Emergency Order remains in place. The Government has indicated that it intends to keep the 10.1 ¢/kWh pricing in place for 45 days.

The 10.1 ¢/kWh pricing applies automatically – no customer action is required. Some customers may receive a bill before their utility or unit sub-meter provider is able to implement the price change, in which case they will receive a credit on the following bill.

For more information, read the Government’s news release at https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/ontario-providing-electricity-relief-to-families-small-businesses-and-farms-during-covid-19.html

Also visit https://.oeb.ca/newsroom/2020/oeb-covid-19-update, for the latest updates from the Ontario Energy Board on measures its taking in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Insurance” is on the list of essential services as published by the Ontario Government. Therefore Lambton Mutual remains available to serve and take care of our policyholders throughout this pandemic. As an essential service, Lambton Mutual Insurance is taking extra precautions to ensure that both our agents and our valued customers stay safe during the COVID-19 crisis.

While our building doors are closed to the public, you may contact us via:

Phone:  (519) 876-2304

Toll Free:  1-800-561-4136

Claims Fax:  (519) 876-3940

General Fax:  (519) 876-6626

E-mail:  info@lambtonmutual.com

We will gladly assist you.

Lambton Mutual, caring since 1875.

We are making a number of changes to the way we work in the interest of public health, to protect staff, Owners and the wider community.

Libro in Watford will remain open, though we are reducing hours from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. All locations will now be closed on Saturdays.

We are taking special measures to protect staff and Owners. They include:

Social distancing: We ask everyone to maintain a distance of at least two metres from each other.

Self-isolating: If you are feeling sick, have been in contact with anyone sick, or have been out of the country (including the US) recently, you will not be permitted to enter our locations. We ask that you contact us by phone or email instead.

To Our Community & Valued Customers,

McLarens Pharmacy is teaming up with Warwick Township Council to make sure that everyone in Warwick Township receives the medications and supplies they need during the Corona Virus crisis. 

Anyone who is unable to leave their homes due to self isolation can now call McLaren Pharmacy at 519-876-2213 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to order and pay for their needed items. Warwick Township Council members have agreed to help out by delivering needed supplies to Warwick Township residents between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. daily, when needed.

Though this is a difficult time for us all, by working together we will get through this!

We just want to say to our community that during this difficult time, we are here to support you. We ask that all customers that have been out of country and are not feeling well to NOT come into the pharmacy. Customers can call for prescription delivery at 519-876-2213. Prescriptions are FREE but over the counter items have a small delivery fee of $5. 

Our store hours are currently Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm and Saturday 9am-1pm. Wednesday is seniors day from 9am-10am. On that day it will be seniors only allowed in the store and they can shop with family members or by themselves and get stocked up on the essentials, the store is all theirs for an hour.

In response to the recent announcement by World Health Organization about the global pandemic of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Community Health Centre has developed a plan to protect our clients and staff. Public health agencies and governments are recommending social distancing measures to help curb the spread of the virus.  The following precautions are being implemented across all sites of the CHC:

1. Effective Monday, March 16th, 2020 GROUP PROGRAMS WILL BE CANCELLED until further notice.  We will reassess in the coming weeks and keep the community updated. 
2. All appointments will be done over the phone until further notice. If it is deemed necessary for you to have an in-person visit, your practitioner will give you an appointment after your phone assessment.
3. Watford, Kettle Point, and Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation satellite sites will be closed.  If you have an existing appointment at one of these sites, you will be given a phone appointment or called to reschedule. 
4. Everyone entering a CHC location will be screened at the entrance.  Access will be limited to one entry.

Kathy Bresett

Executive Director

North Lambton Community Health Centre

From President Tony:

Following the prime minister's report on the evolution of the COVID19 emergency and his request that Canadians stay home, I have decided that it would be in the best interest of our community to suspend all operations and activities at Branch 172. This also comes from the advice of our community leaders because of the potential damage to our elderly members. Branch 172 will be closed until further notice.

Effective as of March 10, 2020, the Watford St. Vincent de Paul will be temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 situation. We want you to know we want our customers and staff safe and we will keep you updated on our Facebook page when the store will re-open. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons Watford currently has reduced hours 5am -10pm Monday to Sunday. Our dining room is completely closed with our restaurant currently Drive Thru only.

Any truck drivers are able to call the store if they are in need of a restroom, food or drink and we will be more then happy to help at the window or let them in to use the facilities. Please call 226-219-7705.

Any other questions don’t hesitate to contact us.

Twin Creeks Landfill

Twin Creeks Environmental Center with be closed this Saturday, April 4^th and Saturday April 11^th to all inbound waste.  This includes the residential drop off.

We will maintain normal operating hours during the week and will keep you apprised of any further service reductions.

Warwick Conservation Area

Trails at SCRCA Conservation Areas will be open to the public, however, trail maintenance may be limited.

Washroom facilities will be closed, and gates will be locked.

Watford Dental Office

Watford Dental Office is closed. Phone messages will be monitored for dental emergencies only.

Wilson Shell

Due to the COVID-19 virus, we will be shortening our business hours until further notice.

Effective Monday, March 30th business hours will be:

Monday to Friday - 7:30am-7:00pm

Saturday - 8:00am-4:00pm

Sunday - Closed

Sorry for this inconvenience and thank you for understanding.