COVID-19

Provincial stay-at-home order

On Tuesday, January 13, 2021, the Government of Ontario announced a Province-wide Stay-at-Home order, Effective Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., the stay-at-home order requires everyone to remain at home with exceptions for permitted purposes or activities, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise or for work where the work cannot be done remotely.

This order and other new and existing public health restrictions are aimed at limiting people's social mobility and reducing the number of daily contacts with those outside an immediate household.

Highlights from the stay-at-home order:

The stay-at-home order takes effect Thursday, January 14 at 12:01 a.m.
Everyone should stay at home unless they are going to the grocery store, accessing health services, getting exercise, or going to work.
Outdoor social gatherings are limited to five people.
Wearing a mask or face covering is now recommended outdoors when you cannot physically distance more than two metres.
The #10 bus serving Amherstview to Kingston, and the Amherst Island Ferry are running for essential travel
Waste collection continues normally, and Township landfills remains open
Staff are responding to complaints and reports – click here to report a non-urgent issue. For after-hours emergencies involving roads, water/sewer service, or a Township facility call 613-507-3069

Municipal buildings remain closed to public access:

Municipal Office Buildings (drop payments off at the mail slot by the front door), Fire Stations, WJ Henderson Recreation and Leisure & Activity Centre remain closed to the public.

Essential services continue:

First responders will continue to respond to 911 calls. Please wear a mask and keep your distance until COVID-19 screening is complete.
Passive outdoor recreation is permitted in Township parks. Remember to keep your distance and wear a mask if you cannot maintain a two-metre distance while outdoors. If local parks are busy you may want to leave and return later, to avoid any unnecessary contact with people outside of your household. Wash or sanitize your hands often.

Contact us:

Township staff remain available to assist you via phone, 613, 386-7351, or via email. Visit our staff directory for contact information.

Click here for the current status of COVID-19 cases in KFL&A

Loyalist Township COVID-19 Safety Plan

As part of the Yellow level of the COVID-19 response framework, a safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request.

For a high level view, see the snapshot of our COVID-19 safety plan.

Township offices have all necessary public health measures in places and are permitted to remain open, however, the Township recognizes the importance of following the directives of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. As a result, most Loyalist Township municipal facilities will be closed to public access until further notice. Township staff remain available to assist you via email or telephone. Recreation facilities will remain closed beyond this as per provincial restrictions. Learn more on the impacts to municipal facilities and services below:

What’s closed

Municipal office

The Municipal office building at 263 Main Street in Odessa will be closed to the public until further notice. Township staff remain available to assist you via email or telephone by calling 613-386-7351.

While the Township recognizes the inconvenience this may cause, there are a variety of payment options available to residents to ensure their business with the Township continues despite the impact of the virus.

Manitou office

The Loyalist Township office at 18 Manitou Crescent West is closed to the public until further notice. Township staff remain available to assist you via email or telephone by calling 613-386-7351 ext. 170.

Consultations can be conducted by phone or email. Applications can be submitted by email, postal mail, or dropped off at one of the Township's drop box locations. To avoid delays, during regular business hours (Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.), applications and payments can also be placed in the drop box in the front foyer at 18 Manitou Cres West without an appointment. Payments can only be made by cheque or bank draft.

Response to water meters and water/sewer servicing issues will only be for emergencies.

W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre and Leisure & Activity Centre

Recreation programs and facility closures

As a result of the 28-day Province-wide lockdown, Loyalist Township will be pausing all in-person programming and rentals during this period. The W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre and Leisure & Activity Centre will be closed to the public. Once dates are determined for the resumption of rentals and in-person programming, further communication will be provided.

Program registrants and clients with facility bookings will receive a credit placed on their account. Until a reopening date has been determined, we will not be accepting future bookings of our facilities. We ask clients to remain patient while the administration of these credits takes place. Account credits can be used to re-register in programs or re-book facilities once we have re-opened.

Try a virtual program

Looking for something to do at home? We've got you covered! Loyalist Township has lots of virtual program options for the winter to keep you busy while you are staying safe at home. We have many options available including preschool (ages 4 and under), children and youth classes (ages 5-18), and adult. Visit our recreation page to view our virtual program guide and for information on registration.

Contact us

If you have questions or require further information, residents and patrons are advised to call the W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre at 613-389-3648 or email us at recreation@loyalist.ca

Although our offices are closed, Township staff are still available to assist you via email or telephone. We acknowledge that this may create delays in some applications and approvals processes. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all as we work to protect our residents and staff.

Loyalist Township Fire Stations

All Fire Stations are closed to the public. Only Emergency Services personnel are allowed in the fire stations. Residential inquiries should be directed to the Odessa Fire Station Administration line 613-386-3762.

Amherstview Community Hall

Closed to public access. Lionhearts Inc. use the Amherstview Community Hall every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. for Meals-To-Go distribution.

Outdoor rinks

Township operated Outdoor Ice Rinks are not open for public use at this time. We will continue to monitor the local situation and provide an update should the rinks become available for public use at a later date.

What’s open

Playgrounds and parks remain open

Loyalist Township playgrounds and parks remain open. The Municipality will not be sanitizing equipment or park structures. Residents should bring their own hand sanitizer. It is the parent's or guardian's responsibility to ensure children practise good hand hygiene and use hand sanitizer before and after touching playground equipment. Parents and guardians are also responsible for supervising their small children and ensuring physical distancing.

Additional information on municipal services

#10 Kingston Transit Bus

There are no planned changes to Route 10 bus schedule during the Province-wide lockdown. Schedules are available at KingstonTransit.ca/Schedules and on Google Maps, TransitApp or Moovit app.

Face coverings

Face coverings are required when riding Kingston Transit. Riders are reminded to keep their face covering on during the entire trip. Please be kind and remember that not all disabilities and medical conditions are visible, and some riders may not be able to wear a face covering.

As transit ridership increases, there may be occasions where physical distancing will not be possible. KFL&A Public Health has indicated that buses can operate at regular capacity with the use of face coverings and other measures, including enhanced cleaning and hand hygiene.

Amherst Island Ferry

Fare Suspension

Fares aboard the Amherst Island Ferry continue to be suspended.
The ferry should be restricted to essential trips only.

Mask/Face Covering Requirements

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, Transport Canada is asking all travellers to be in possession of a removable face covering large enough to cover their mouth and nose while on board passenger vessels and ferries.

All walk-on passengers shall wear a non-medical mask or face covering large enough to cover their mouth and nose.

All passengers are encouraged to stay in their vehicles while on the ferry and limit contact with others as much as possible. Any vehicle passengers exiting the vehicle shall wear a mask.

Washrooms Aboard Amherst Island Ferry Remain Closed to Public

Effective April 10th, the washrooms aboard the Amherst Island Ferry are closed to public access. These measures are being put in place to ensure the safety of our passengers and crew.

Status of work at the Bath Water Plant

Construction at the Bath Water Plant will be continuing in accordance to the requirements of the State of Emergency and Stay-at-Home order announced by the Province of Ontario on January 12^th. The project is considered to be essential construction as it pertains to the safe and reliable operation of the Bath drinking water system.

Work will be conducted in accordance with all protocols prescribed by the local Health Unit, and access to the site will be limited to essential personnel, all of whom will be screened before being allowed on the premises.

Residents should note that construction-related activities may also occur on Saturdays, however this work will be confined to within the building.

Building permit consultation and application

The Building Department has prepared an FAQ document to answer some commonly asked questions regarding building during COVID-19.

Building permit applications continue to be reviewed for all types of construction
For permit application packages, please visit the building permits page
Consultation will continue to take place by phone or email only. Email the Development Analyst or call 613-386-7351 ext 170 to get started.
Applications can be submitted by email, postal mail or dropped off at one of the Township's secure dropbox locations.
To avoid delays, applications can also be dropped off in the lobby of the Loyalist Township office in Amherstview (@18 Manitou Cres West) during regular hours (Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm). There is a limit to the number of customers that can enter the building at any given time, so please follow the posted signs for instructions.
No permit deposits will be collected at this time
Applications will be reviewed and staff will respond to the applicant by phone or email

Permit pickup and payment

The assigned inspector will go over the checklist and any other information by phone
Applicants will be asked to mail or drop off the payment cheque at a secure Township dropbox. There will be no debit payment option available at this time.
A receipt for payment will be emailed to the applicant.
Once payment is received, staff will contact the applicant to sign the permit.

Council and Committee meetings

All public meetings and open houses are being held electronically.

Council meetings will continue; however, they will be held electronically. Public can live stream the meetings. To appear as a delegation at a Council meeting, please contact the Clerks Department.

Committee meetings will be recorded, and recordings will be published to the Council Portal.

Engineering and Planning Pre-consultation Meetings

Applicants will be asked to submit as much detail as possible regarding their proposal, by email to the Approvals Planner.
Details will be forwarded to staff and outside agencies for preliminary review before a telephone or video conference is scheduled.
The pre-consultation will be done by teleconference. For simple applications, this may be done via email.
A set of minutes will be prepared and circulated.

Garbage and recycling collection

Bag Tags Required

Bag tags are required for all garbage bags put out for collection in Loyalist Township.

Residents can purchase bag tags from several retail locations in Loyalist Township. Please note that bag tags will no longer be sold at the Violet or Amherst Island Landfills until further notice.

Residents experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 can contact the Township office at 613-386-7351 for waste disposal options.

Waste Collection Procedures

Waste collection continues according to the regular collection schedule. Residents are advised to follow additional precautions listed below if they are sick.

To help protect collectors and the public from the risk of spreading COVID-19, residents are advised to follow the safe waste disposal guidelines listed below:

Place used tissues and napkins in the garbage. Wash your hands afterwards.

Bag all waste. Do not place waste loosely in garbage containers.

If you are sick: place ANY item that has come into contact with your mouth, nose or eyes into the garbage – even items that you normally place into your Blue or Grey box (e.g., water/beverage bottles, pop cans, milk/juice cartons, etc.).

Kingston Area Recycling Centre (KARC)

In response to the provincial stay-at-home order, the KARC Depot and scale hours along with Admin Office hours have been modified starting 8:00 am tomorrow morning January 14, 2021. Depot access will be limited to 5 residential vehicles only.

KARC Admin Office - Closed to the public.

Scale Depot Operations - Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Closed Saturdays

Leaf and Yard Site - Regular Hours with limited residential entry

Household Hazardous Waste - Currently Closed for the Season

Inspections

Loyalist Township building inspectors will be following a new inspection protocol given current physical distancing recommendations. Inspectors may not engage in interpersonal contact at sites. Staff will not enter occupied areas of buildings under construction, including residential, industrial, commercial, or institutional buildings.

Staff will also inquire if any persons on the site or related to the site exhibit symptoms of sickness or have become self-isolated; have been to a COVID-19 infected area; or have been in contact with a confirmed case or probable case of COVID-19. If the answer to any of these questions is yes, an inspection will not take place until the site is safe for an inspector to visit.

This policy may be subject to revisions as further protocols are put in place.

Landfill operations

The Violet and Amherst Island landfills remain open. Landfill operators will be in the landfill offices, but, for physical distancing purposes, operators will remain in the office. Please drive on to the weigh scale, remain in your vehicle, and the operator will advise you how to proceed based on your disposal requirements.

Violet Landfill

Cash will no longer be accepted. Payments will be made by using the on-site debit machine, only.

An invoice will be created and mailed to those unable to make payments when debit is not available. Bag Tags will no longer be sold at the Violet Landfill until further notice.

Amherst Island Landfill

Cash is still not accepted. Invoices will continue to be created and mailed as required. Bag Tags will no longer be sold at the Amherst Island Landfill until further notice.

Municipal infrastructure projects

To minimize risks to our residents and workforce during the COVID19 emergency, municipal infrastructure construction projects planned within existing residential areas were generally limited until safe work protocols were adjusted to include the risks associated with the pandemic. The following projects are continuing or expected to commence ahead of the 2021 regular construction period:

Loyalist East Business Park Phase 2 Servicing
Bath Water Treatment Plant Filter Upgrade
Annual gravel road maintenance program
Amherst Island 2017/ 2019 flood damage repair to shore roads

Some construction projects may need to be delayed further, depending on availability of labour, material, equipment. We thank you for your patience during this time.

No Suspension of Utility Services

The Township does not disconnect utility services at any time for non-payment. We will work with utility customers, on a case-by-case basis, if more time is required to pay for the current water & sewer bills. Call our utility billing department at 613-386-7351 x 105 or email utilitiesbills@loyalist.ca.

Planning Applications

We continue to accept and process new planning applications. (minor variances, severances, other Planning Act applications). Statutory public meetings continue to be held during Loyalist Township Council meetings through utilizing the zoom online conferencing technology. Committee of Adjustment meetings are also continuing through the zoom technology.

Consultations will take place by phone or email, or in person at the Manitou office by appointment only. (delete)
Application submission can be submitted by email, postal mail, or dropped off at one of the Township's drop box locations.
To avoid delays, (new wording) applications and payment (new wording) can also be dropped off in the lobby of the Loyalist Township office in Amherstview (@18 Manitou Cres West) during regular hours (Monday- Friday 8:30am-4:30pm). There is a limit to the number of customers that can enter the building at any given time, so please follow the posted signs for instructions.
If large drawings or reports must be submitted in hard copy, this may be done by courier. The courier is to call the reception desk at the Manitou Crescent office, 613-386-7351, ext. 170, to be pre-screened before coming to the office (delete).
Staff will review the application and respond to the applicant by phone or email.
The application fee is to be paid by cheque and can be dropped at 18 Manitou Crescent West during regular office hours. Please follow postage signage for instructions. Receipts will be emailed.

If you have questions about a severance or minor variance, please email the Planning Technician or call 613-386-7351, ext. 124. For other planning applications please email the Approvals Planner or call Ext. 129. Information on how to submit a new application is available on our website.

Tax and Utility Payment Plans

If you are concerned about your ability to make your payments on time, feel free to contact the Township office to discuss payment plans or other options.

Tiered response protocol for Emergency Services

In order to protect both our Emergency Services personnel as well as maintaining the sustainability of our Fire Service, it has been recommended that Fire Services medical responses be downgraded to lifesaving responses only.

In no way do these changes jeopardize the safety or well-being of residents, however, there may be possible delays in providing assistance in non-life-threatening situation.

If you have any questions or concerns in regard to this new protocol, please contact Fire Chief Fred Stephenson at 613-386-3762.

Public Health information

Local assessment centres

Find the latest information on local assessment centre.

KFL&A Public Health COVID-19 information

Visit the KFL&A Public Health website for information on local guidelines, status of cases in the area, information on assessment and more.

County of Lennox & Addington information

Find COVID-19 information and resources from the County of Lennox Addington. For updates or questions email us at info@lennox-addington.on.ca.

Government of Ontario information

Find the latest information on provincial actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government of Canada information

Discover more information about the actions of the federal government to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Find the latest information on municipal actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.