UPDATE: What's been done in Richmond Hill so far amid coronavirus fight

Late fees waived, all parks closed, parking rules relaxed

Yorkregion.com
April 8, 2020
Sheila Wang

As COVID-19 continues to rapidly spread across the world, Richmond Hill is going all out to brace for a potential mass outbreak in the diverse community.

Council has approved a list of relief measures to help the community to mitigate the economic impact of the novel coronavirus that has infected thousands of Canadians.

The city has decided to waive the penalties and interest charges for late payments of taxes through Jan. 1, 2021 and defer the water/wastewater retail rate increase of 7.5 per cent to next year.

Meanwhile, the city is also waiving the late water bill payments until Jan. 1, as well as waiving the $45 fee for returned cheques for the rest of the year.

Representatives made the decision at a special council meeting held electronically as city staff and councillors practice social distancing by working remotely.

For taxpayers who wish to delay their monthly pre-authorized property tax withdrawals, they can request to delay payments at least two weeks in advance by emailing at access@richmondhill.ca or by phone at 905-771-8800, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

Meanwhile, the city now allows overnight parking on local streets without a permit and has suspended enforcement of the three-hour maximum on-street parking bylaw between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Residents can also park in school zones until schools are operational again.

In an effort to support the business community that has been significantly affected by the pandemic, the city has suspended enforcement of noise bylaws to allow after-hour delivery of supplies to retailers.

Local business owners can find the city’s resources available online here to navigate the challenges.

All city parks are closed to the public until May 31 to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in the community. The closed parks includes playgrounds, off-leash dog parks, sports fields, public benches, skate parks and tennis courses.

Bylaw officers are patrolling these areas to ensure compliance and those who insist on using closed park amenities or congregating in groups could get a $750 ticket.

Council also decided to cancel all city-led events and council festivals until June 30.

All permits for third-party events until June 30 are also cancelled and no new permits will be issued until further notice. All performances and bookings at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts are cancelled until May 31.

Those impacted by cancelled programs will be contacted directly. All user fees charged will be fully refunded.

While in-person services at the municipal offices are not available, residents can reach staff by email at access@richmondhill.ca or by phone at 905-771-8800

The city has also formed a task force for COVID-19 emergencies and is currently developing a strategy to reinvigorate business, as a result of the March 11 council meeting.

To prioritize essential services, yard waste collection is delayed until May 19. Residents are asked to store yard waste on their property (preferably in your garage or shed) until collection begins.

At this time, garbage, recycling and organics collection continue as scheduled.

Library, community events, food bank

Shortly after the city’s announcement, the Richmond Hill Public Library Board decided to close all branches until further notice.

Items can be returned to RHPL locations through all external drop boxes, excluding Richmond Green. There will be adjustments to fines, holds and our refund policies, it states.

Prior to these official announcements, many community groups, agencies and individuals have already taken initiatives to cancel or postpone events in the city.

Among them, the Karma HR Workshop which is a unique job fair for people with disabilities scheduled for March 22 at the Richmond Hill Theatre has been postponed to August or September.

The annual Norooz celebration hosted by Community & Home Assistance To Seniors (CHATS), which was planned to take place on March 13 at Shiraz Restaurant, has been postponed until further notice.

The annual Maple Syrup Festival, scheduled for March 28, has been pushed back to a later date.

The Krasman Centre, a peer-based social service organization, has closed its drop-in programs since March 16 until further notice.

They are still distributing survival and wellness items outside the drop-in centres. Plese contact the drop-in centre in Richmond Hill at 905-780-0491 for further information Monday to Friday 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m..

Meanwhile, the Richmond Hill Food Bank also changed the operation policies. Starting March 16, only one client at a time will be allowed inside the food bank’s front door to show ID and be registered before picking up basic prepackaged grocery provisions through the back doors.

Assessment centres

There are currently three assessment centres across York Region for rapid screening of COVID-19.

MacKenzie Health, located on Major MacKenzie Drive West, opened its testing centre on March 16. Assessments are done by appointment only through referrals from York Region Public Health.

Markham Stouffville Hospital, located at Highway 7 in Markham, is scheduled to open a walk-in assessment centre for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Southlake Regional in Newmarket is expected to open an assessment centre as well, but no details have yet been provided.

Hotlines

York Region Public Health is closely monitoring the emerging COVID-19 situation, in collaboration with provincial and national health agencies, and receives regular updates as the situation evolves.

If you have symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, call York Region Public Health at 1-877-464-9675 ext. 73588 and immediately self-isolate. Alternatively, you may contact your health care provider or local Emergency Department to arrange for testing as appropriate.

If you have questions or concerns regarding COVID-19, call Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 (1-866-512-6228 for the deaf or hard of hearing).

For medical advice, you may also contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. Telehealth Ontario is a free, confidential service you can call to get health advice or information. A Registered Nurse will take your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.