NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF ORILLIA
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The City of Orillia will continue to waive transit and parking fees until July 5, 2020 as a means of assisting the community and local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In March, Orillia Council established a Community Assistance Package to help residents and businesses during the pandemic. As we continue to deal with the impacts of COVID-19, the Emergency Management Committee is further extending free transit and municipal parking until July 5, 2020, in an effort to continue supporting our residents and local businesses during these challenging times,” said Mayor Steve Clarke.
All pre-purchased April Orillia Transit passes and April municipal parking permits will also continue to be honoured through to July 5, 2020.
Those who purchased a monthly Orillia Transit pass for the months of April, May or June will be able to redeem their passes for new replacement passes for an equal number of months after transit fare payment resumes. Further details on this process will be communicated when transit and parking fares resume.
Orillia Transit continues to operate with enhanced cleaning and safety protocols. Users are to board and exit the bus from the rear doors. Passengers with accessibility requirements are permitted to use the front door if necessary.
“Extending the waiving of transit and parking fees continues to be a way in which we can support the economic recovery efforts of the city," said Coun. Ted Emond, Chair of the Economic Recovery Task Force.
"Providing free transit continues to provide mobility to those who may be facing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19, while also ensuring people have a means of getting to and from their place of work. Providing free parking in the downtown makes it easier to support the local businesses in our community who, now more than ever, need our help,” said Emond.
Other City of Orillia community assistance measures in place include:
- Emergency fund of $100,000 to be distributed to critical lead service providers on an as-needed basis.
- Tax penalty waived through to June 30, 2020 for both residential and businesses. • Water and sewer penalty waived through to June 30, 2020 for both residential and businesses.
- Suspension of all water shut-offs due to non-payment of water bills until the end of June 2020.
- Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) charges waived for any pre-authorized payment plan until the end of June 2020 (you may still incur charges by your bank).
- Deferred implementation of the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) to Sept. 1, 2020.
- Deferred the second annual intake of the Downtown Tomorrow Community Improvement Plan (DTCIP) to the last day of June 2020.
- One bag of untagged garbage allowed per household until July 5, 2020.
- Established the Economic Recovery Task Force to plan and develop measures to help the local economy recover moving forward.
- One-million dollars set aside for COVID-19 related social and economic recovery efforts.
- No upfront deposit for summer day camp registration (running of summer day camps in Orillia is still uncertain as we await direction from the province and our local health unit).
- Launched #OrilliaCares campaign to share community acts of kindness.
The City continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and adapt services and community assistance and prevention measures accordingly.
For detailed information on City services and amenities, please 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/NovelCoronavirus
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