COVID-19

On March 19, 2020 at 11:11 am, the County of Brant has declared a state of emergency. The media release can be found on the News webpage.

The County of Brant has declared an Emergency today in support of the Province of Ontario's and the Government of Canada’s efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Declaring an emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act provides the County of Brant with all options available to protect the health and safety of individuals and families living in the County.

What does Declaring a State of Emergency Mean?

• The declaration of emergency does not dramatically change the situation, we are already following our emergency management plan;
• It provides the municipality with certain legal protections, and also provides volunteers who may be involved in our response to this emergency with protection in the event we need to draw on volunteer resources in the coming days;
• It provides the municipality with flexibility to suspend normal practices to facilitate decision making for the organization to respond to the emergency as it unfolds, if necessary;
• It does not allow municipalities to “lock down” society or break laws or act outside of the normal municipal business;
• The County will continue to look for guidance from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Brant County Health Unit on the steps it needs to take to help keep our residents safe, and the declaration puts us in a strong position to respond to the guidance provided by these agencies.

The Brant County Health Unit (BCHU) is the lead local agency for public health and continues to actively monitor the situation in collaboration with provincial and national health agencies, local hospital and community agencies.

To stay up to date and learn more, there are a number of online resources available to you.  Travel advice and information about COVID-19 including how to prepare, prevent and recognize symptoms of the virus can be found on the following websites:

• Brant County Health Unit www.bchu.org
  • Recommendations to help prevent the spread of viruses:
    • Staying home when you are sick.
    • Washing your hands with soap and water often, for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
    • Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
    • Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
    • Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the garbage.
    • Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces
    • Practice physical distancing
    • Wear a mask if you are going out and physical distancing might be difficult

  • Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

    • fever over 38 degrees Celsius
    • cough
    • difficulty breathing
  • if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms the Brant County Health Unit recommends the following:
    
    • Stay at home and avoid close contact with others.
    • Contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000

• • If symptoms require medical attention, residents are asked to:
    • call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000
    • call BCHU at 519-753-4937 or visit bchu.org
    • call their health-care provider
    • call 911, if you need immediate medical assistance
    • if you plan to go to the emergency department call ahead at 519-751-5818.
    • If you seek medical care, share your recent travel history with your healthcare provider.
    • Avoid using public transportation
  • Please visit the Brant County Health Unit website for more information.

• Ontario Ministry of Health www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus
  
  • provides up-to-date provincial information

• Canada Public Health Agency www.canada.ca/COVID-19
  • provides Canadians with up-to-date information and resources

Additional resources

Posters and fact sheets are available online through Public Health Ontario including:

• How to self monitor
• How to self isolate
• Self-isolation: Guide for caregivers, household members and close contacts

We got you covered!  Building permit applications can be electronically submitted through e-mail to building@brant.ca.

The application will need to include a pdf drawing or scanned image/ photos from your smart phone along with the completed permit application in order to be processed.  Please note that the building department will contact applicants with the procedure to pay fees prior to issuance of permits.

If you cannot electronically submit your application please use the drop box located outside the front door at 66 Grand River St. N., Paris.  We will no longer be accepting hand delivered packages or documents at this time due to COVID-19 and the need for social distancing. 

Building permit information can be found online at www.brant.ca/Building.

If you have questions in regards to your applications or any general questions, they can be directed to our Building staff at 519.442.6324.

The County of Brant will continue to adjust our operations according to the recommendation of Health Authorities. Any further changes or updates will be provided through the County of Brant’s website www.brant.ca/news and social media accounts @BrantCommunity.

The County of Brant would like to thank-you for your patience and understanding during this time and we recognize that these decisions and changes are disruptive and may have impact on those we serve. The safety and well-being of residents, staff and community at large is our top priority.

The County of Brant has been updating business continuity plans should COVID-19 challenge our community. 

Visit brant.ca/BrantWorksTogether to see how Brant can help our local businesses and industry partners.

Our Mayor, David Bailey addresses our local businesses and industry partners:

Cemetery burial services continue to be offered.

Please contact at us at 519.442.3822 for assistance arranging cemetery services.

Effective March 14, 2020 at 8:30 pm, the County of Brant has closed the following:

• All Community Centres
• Arenas
• The Paris Museum and Historical Society
• St. George Lawn Bowling Club

These closures are directly aligned with recommendations from Brant County Medical Officer of Health and the Province of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer.

Reimbursements for cancelled facility rentals will be generated as quickly as possible. Please be patient with staff.

Facilities are currently closed until June 30, 2020. They will be reassessed at that time. 

The County of Brant has launched a webpage called Brant Cares (www.brant.ca/BrantCares) which offers a variety of community resources and services available to people during this challenging time.

“This is what our community is all about,” said Mayor David Bailey. “In our community, we take care of each other. The people who offer a variety of services and supports are innovative, nimble and are responding to a variety of community needs.”

The Brant Cares webpage offers the community a ‘one-stop-spot’ to find a variety of community resources, businesses and services. This webpage highlights a number of businesses and community services that have changed their regular practice to meet the needs of the community during the COVID-19 health emergency.

To view Brant Cares, visit www.brant.ca/BrantCares

The County of Brant will proceed with only essential Council meetings.  For a list of upcoming meetings and the agenda, please visit www.brant.ca/CouncilCalendar.

In light of the need to practice physical distancing, Council meetings will be held on the phone and not in the Council Chambers. Please do not attend Council Chambers as this building remains closed. 

However, please tune into the County's YouTube channel to listen to Council meetings.

We appreciate your ongoing patience in this matter.  Any questions regarding the Council schedule may be directed to the Clerk at 519.44-BRANT.

The following Customer Service Offices are now open, Monday-Friday from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm:

Burford (located at 26 Park Ave., Burford ) and Paris downtown (located at 66 Grand River St. N, Paris). 

All other customer service offices are closed to the public until further notice.

Community Services Office at 15 Curtis Ave. N., Paris is also closed. As a result, the Ontario Works Paris Satellite office and the Ontario Disability Support Program satellite office will also be closed. Please contact your case worker directly for more information.

Cemetery

The cemetery staff will continue to meet clients at cemeteries or the office by appointment to facilitate; lot sales, service arrangements, marker and spring monument installations. Genealogical requests will not be accepted at this time. Cemetery burial services will continue to be offered. Please contact at us at 519.442.3822 for assistance arranging cemetery services.

Clerk 

If you require a meeting with the clerk, please contact 519.44-BRANT. 

If you have questions, please call 519.44-BRANT or email info@brant.ca

Emergency Services contacts - Brant OPP, Fire and Paramedics

Brant OPP
Phone: 1-888-310-1122 (non-emergency)
Phone: 911 (emergency only)
Also visit www.brant.ca/opp

County of Brant Fire Administration
Toll Free: 1-866-847-5416
Phone: 519-442-4500
www.brant.ca/fire

Paramedic Services
303 Henry Street, Brantford, Ontario N3T 5S7
Phone: 519-756-4570
Dispatch: 519-753-4151
For emergency: 911
www.brant.ca/paramedics

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of fire incidents has increased across Ontario including the County of Brant.  Fire Chief Geoff Hayman wants to remind everyone how important it is to keep fire safety top of mind. Test your smoke and CO alarms and practice your home fire escape plan. Safety tips include:

• Always stay in the kitchen when you are cooking. Unattended cooking is a leading cause of home fires.
• Keep a close eye on anyone drinking alcohol and attempting to cook or smoke.
• Encourage smokers to smoke outside the home and outside the garage. Thoroughly extinguish all smoking materials in water or sand.
• Always blow out candles before leaving the room.
• Avoid overloading electrical outlets. Extension cords should be used only as a temporary connection. Avoid running electrical cords under rugs, which can damage the cords and cause a fire.
• Ensure items that can burn are at least one metre away from space heaters.
• Do not attempt to sterilize or decontaminate face masks for re-use by heating them in a microwave oven. Various fabric or metal components can overheat or create sparks and cause a fire if heated in a microwave.

On March 28, 2020, the Province of Ontario and the Bereavement Authority of Ontario issued a statement outlining the maximum number of people who can attend a funeral or visitation in one room, at one time must be 10 or fewer.

This number must be lower if the room cannot allow people to maintain physical distancing of at least two metres (six feet) apart from each other at all times, to a maximum of 10 people in one room.

Even if you have unlimited space, or are outside, the maximum is 10. The number does not include funeral staff. This directive will apply to all services occurring at County of Brant Cemeteries.

Note, that if you advertise a funeral, visitation or gathering in any medium you must state this limitation or link to this directive at https://thebao.ca/registrars-directive/

For more information, visit https://thebao.ca/registrars-directive/

Visiting a grave?

We want to assure the public they can visit County of Brant Cemeteries, but please be mindful of COVID-19 protocols. We would like to encourage families to find alternative ways to remember and celebrate their loved ones such as phone calls and online video conferences.

Residents are being reminded to abide by the Provincial Order regarding social gatherings which bans gatherings of more than 5 people (not from the same household). Please remember to practice physical distancing and to keep at least two metres (6 feet) apart from others.

Visitors to the cemetery should be patient and expect short waiting times as other families may be in the vicinity of their loved one’s grave.

Family and friends are welcome to place flowers (real or artificial) at the graveside. In order to keep the cemeteries clean and neat in appearance, staff will dispose of withered flowers and artificial flowers when in poor condition.

For more information about the planting of flowerbeds and dwarf shrubs, please refer to the Cemetery By-law 119-13 at www.brant.ca/CemeteryBylaw

We are excited to announce that our Curbside Pickup service will be available at all library branches beginning Monday, June 1!

www.brantlibrary.ca/curbside

Continue placing your holds through our online catalogue (www.brantlibrary.ca), or call us at the Paris Branch, Monday to Friday, between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. It is important to note that even if Paris is not your home branch, you must call the Paris Branch at 519-442-2433 for assistance. We are unable to answer phone calls at other branches at this time.

Please visit www.brantlibrary.ca for details.

Due dates for all materials have been extended to June 30, 2020.

Visit our website for online programs and events, ebooks, downloadable audiobooks, and more.

Online service is always available at www.brantlibrary.ca.

Marriage Licence Applications

Since the issuance of marriage licenses requires an in-person meeting and due to limited supplies, marriage licences are currently only being issued for County of Brant residents who plan to get married within the next 2-3 weeks.  Please contact the Clerks office to schedule an appointment 519.442.7268.

Commissioner of Oaths

The Clerks Department can certify the validity of information and/or documents. We provide Commissioner of Oaths service for documents like affidavits, vehicle transfers and foreign pension forms. To arrange to have documents signed by a Commissioner of Oaths, please contact the Clerks Division at 519.442.7268.

To stay up to date, subscribe to the County's news at www.brant.ca/Subscribe Also, follow Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @BrantCommunity.

May 28, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Cancels Summer Camp for 2020

May 26, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Continues to Re-Open Park Amenities, Skate Parks, Sports Fields,
Basketball and Multi-purpose Courts and River Access Points

May 21, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Re-Opens Outdoor Park Benches, Tennis Courts, the Simply Grand Dog Park and the Dwayne Bereziuk Memorial Disc Golf Course.

May 20, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant has Cancelled Tour de Farm for 2020

May 19, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant has Cancelled Music in the Park for June 2020

May 15, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Begins Re-Opening Some Recreational Amenities as Directed by the Province of Ontario

May 14, 2020 - Media Release: Flowers are Coming to the County of Brant

May 13, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant Partners with Equal Ground Community Gardens

May 9, 2020 - Update: Reminders to the Public re: Yard Sales, Gatherings and Donation Bins

May 5, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant Fire Chief Urges Residents to Keep Fire Safety Top of Mind

April 30, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant Businesses Step Up to Fight COVID-19

April 29, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Creates a Recreation Lending Program and Online Activities

April 27, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant Launches A Business Map Connecting Residents to Local Services

April 24, 2020 - Media Release: Fishing in the County of Brant

April 23, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Resumes Spring Maintenance Activities in Public Spaces

April 23, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant Modified the Open Air Burning Ban

April 21, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Thanks the Community for Generous Donations

April 17, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant Celebrates Earth Week

April 14, 2020 - Media Release: Emergency Child Care to be provided for local Essential Services Frontline Workers

April 14, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant Extending Facility Closures

April 9, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant Opens a Dedicated COVID-19 Response Line

April 6, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Welcomes Migrant Farm Workers

April 3, 2020 - Media Release: Emergency Operations Centre Advisory Committee supports access restrictions implemented by Six Nations of the Grand River to protect public health and safety

April 1, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Launches Brant Cares

March 31, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Closes All Outdoor Recreational Amenities

March 31, 2020 - Update: Water, Wasterwater payments - late fees waived

March 30, 2020 - Update: The Brant County Health Units confirms the 11th case of COVID-19 in the community.

March 27, 2020 - Update: Closure of Mt. Pleasant and South Dumfries Skate Parks and Simply Grand Dog Park

March 26, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant has Launched a COVID-19 Economic Response Webpage

March 26, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant issues an Open-Air Burning Ban

March 25, 2020 - Update: Brant Community Healthcare System Update on COVID-19 assessment centre

March 24, 2020 - Media Release: Non-Essential Businesses Are Required to Close

March 23, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant – Please Do Your Part to Keep the Community Well (A message to those who have returned home from travelling)

March 23, 2020 - Media Release: Unified Emergency Operations Centre Advisory Group forms to respond to Covid-19 pandemic in Brantford, Brant and Six Nations of the Grand River

March 23, 2020 - Update: Brant County Health Unit confirms second and third cases of COVID-19 in Brant

March 20, 2020 - Update: Cemetery Services Updates (Saturday burial services suspended)

March 20, 2020 - Update: Wastewater Update - Please do not flush wipes down the toilet

March 20, 2020 - Update: Waste Collection Update - Please help us keep crews safe and healthy

March 20, 2020 - Update: Tax Payment Update - late fees waived

March 19, 2020 - Update: The County of Brant Closes all Customer Service Offices

March 19, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Declares a State of Emergency

March 19, 2020 - Update: What Does Declaring a State of Emergency Mean?

March 18, 2020 - Update: Cemetery Offices are by Appointment Only

March 18, 2020 - Update: The Water Meter Installation Program is Suspended

March 18, 2020 - Update: Playgrounds are Closed to Promote Social Distancing

March 18, 2020 - Update: Building Permit On-Line Options

March 17, 2020 - Media Release: County of Brant – Stay Home and Practice Social Distancing

March 15, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Temporarily Suspends In-Person Payments at Customer Service Offices

March 14, 2020 - Update: The County of Brant Libraries Close

March 14, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Closes Community Centres, Arenas, the Paris Museum and St. George Lawn Bowling Club

March 13, 2020 - Update: Healthy Kids Brantford/Brant Passport Program is Cancelled

March 13, 2020 - Media Release: The County of Brant Cancels Programs for the Community Well-being

Visit www.brant.ca/Open for a complete listing of what's open and what's closed.

The following County of Brant recreational amenities are currently CLOSED:

• Playground equipment
• Outdoor exercise equipment
• Sensory trail equipment
• Splashpads and pools
• Indoor recreational facilities

The County of Brant reminds the public to practice physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

Caregivers are encouraged to take children for walks outdoors and enjoy the use of parks (not playgrounds) while practicing physical distancing from others. For those who are ill or practicing self-isolation (including children), please refrain from using any public spaces.

Re-opening Recreational Amenities:

• As of May 21, 2020 - Park benches and picnic tables are open.  Please note picnic shelters are not open at this time.

• As of May 21, 2020 - The Simply Grand Dog Park located at 8 Green Lane in Paris is OPEN but with certain provisions in place. Please read the following Public Notice for rules and COVID-related guidelines: Public Notice: Simple Grand Dog Park

• As of May 21, 2020 - Tennis courts in the County of Brant are OPEN for play!

Please read the following Public Notices for Reopening:

• St. George - South Dumfries Tennis Club
• Paris - Paris District High School
• Mt. Pleasant & Burford Tennis Courts

• As of May 23, 2020, The Dwayne Bereziuk Memorial Disc Golf Course located at 8 Green Lane in Paris is OPEN for play but with certain provisions in place. Please read the following Public Notice for rules and COVID-related guidelines: Public Notice: Disc Golf

• As of May 27, 2020, outdoor picnic shelters are open.

• As of May 27, 2020, all skate parks are open.

• As of May 27, 2020, all sports fields are open for casual use only (no organized or team sports at this time).

• As of May 27, 2020, all basketball / multi-purpose courts are open (no organized or team sports at this time).

Update Effective May 13, 2020:

UPDATE Effective June 1, 2020:  Please note, the Burford and Paris Customer Services Offices are open - Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.. For online payment options, visit the Online Services webpage.

Due to office closures, online payments are now accepted for:
Bulk water, account receivable invoices, dog tags, building and planning applications.

Suspending late payment fees for accounts receivable and property taxes:
In an effort to help alleviate the financial pressures being placed on residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, the County of Brant will not be charging any late payment fees on accounts receivable or property taxes until September 30, 2020.

Those who take part in the pre-authorized payment program for taxes, please contact the County’s tax department if you would like to opt out of the payment plan, please contact tax@brant.ca or phone 519.449.2451.

Due to office closures, Municipal Taxes can be paid by:

• Online/telephone banking through your financial institution OR
• In the drop boxes at the addresses listed below:
  • Oakland: 3 King St. N., Oakland
  • Onondaga: 42 Brantford St., Brantford
  • St. George: 7 Gaukel Dr., St. George
  • Burford Administration: 26 Park Ave., Burford
  • Paris Customer Service: 66 Grand River St. N., Paris

*Please note, the Burford and Paris Customer Services Offices are open - Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

Please also consider:

• Pre Authorized enrollment for Property Taxes. Visit www.brant.ca/TaxPaymentForm
• Mail: P.O. Box 249, Burford, ON N0E 1A0
• Property Tax Statements/Tax Certificates can be requested online: https://webforms.brant.ca/Finance/Tax-Certificates

For alternate payment arrangements, tax amounts for income tax purposes or more information please contact tax@brant.ca.

Hydro and Water:
Payments for Energy Plus water and hydro bills can be made by contacting Energy Plus at 519.442.2215, toll free:1.877.871.2215 or www.energyplus.ca

Dog Licenses (due date extended to May 31, 2020):
Dog License renewal payment options include:

• Over the phone: Credit cards payments can be made. Please call 519.449.2451
• By internet banking: Add “County of Brant Dog Tag” as a payee and insert account # this can be found on your renewal form (example LCDG0000000XX). If you need your account number, please contact the County of Brant at 519.449.2451 (or email doglicense@brant.ca)
• By mail: send your form with a cheque payable to the "County of Brant” to the “County of Brant – 26 Park Ave, P.O. Box 160, Burford ON N0E 1A0”
• Drop-boxes: Deposit your renewal form and payment at a County of Brant drop box. Addresses listed in section below.
• In the drop boxes at the addresses listed below:
  • Oakland: 3 King St. N., Oakland
  • Onondaga: 42 Brantford St., Brantford
  • St. George: 7 Gaukel Dr., St. George
  • Burford Administration: 26 Park Ave., Burford
  • Paris Customer Service: 66 Grand River St. N., Paris

*Please note, the Burford and Paris Customer Services Offices are open - Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

Bulk Water:

As the County has suspended taking in-person payments at County offices, pre-payment for bulk water can now be made on-line using your credit card at: https://webforms.brant.ca/Finance/Bulk-Water-Fill-Station-Reload. Please ensure all fields of the form are completed accurately. There will be a one (1) business day delay before the amount is added to your account.

Composter sales are also temporarily suspended.

If you have questions, please call 519.44-BRANT or email info@brant.ca

As of March 13, 2020, all county-led, in-person recreation programs and events have been suspended until further notice.  This includes registered programs and drop-in programs such as drop-in skating and turf programs.  As well, the Paris Seniors Club which operates from St. James Anglican church is also cancelled.

Distribution of the Spring/Summer Community Guide has been cancelled.

As of May 28, 2020, the difficult decision to cancel summer day camps was made.  For more information, visit www.brant.ca/News

Music in the Park, located in Lions Parks Paris, for the month of June has been cancelled.  The concert series will be re-assessed for July and August. For more information, visit the News.

Tour de Farm, booked for July 4, 2020, has been cancelled.  We look forward to seeing you next year! For more information, visit the News.

Virtual Recreation

For at-home, virtual recreational activities, visit www.brant.ca/RecAtHome and www.brant.ca/BrantCares.  Also,  www.brant.ca./RecAtHome offers a lending program including recreation and fitness equipment.  Stay active!

The County of Brant By-law Enforcement Division, in collaboration with the Brant County Health Unit and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), is opening a dedicated email and phone line to handle reports related to the evolving COVID-19 health emergency.

We want to offer an easy solution for citizens to contact the County of Brant to report a concern.  The Brant County Health Unit and the Ontario Provincial Police have been exceptional partners through this crisis and we will continue to address community concerns as a Joint Enforcement Team.

For the following concerns, please email COVID-19@brant.ca or call 519.761.8391

• Suspected breach of quarantine or self-isolation
• Groups of more than five people congregating
• Those not practicing social distancing
• Use of closed recreational facilities such as playgrounds (not parks)
• Non-essential businesses that are operating
• Workplace concerns related to COVID-19
  
  

The dedicated response phone line and email will be responded to (7) days a week from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

To report concerns from Monday to Sunday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, please contact 519.761.8391 or email covid-19@brant.ca.

To report concerns after hours that are not immediate in nature (will be followed up the next business day), please email covid-19@brant.ca.

For ongoing issues that occur after hours that require immediate response, please contact the OPP at *OPP or 1.888.310.1122.

We are working diligently to educate the public and businesses with respect to the Enforcement of Orders under Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA).  Our number one goal is protecting the health and safety of our residents. I cannot stress this message enough.  You need to do the right thing and stay home. If you must go out for essentials, practice physical distancing.

The Joint Enforcement Team is proactively patrolling our parks and other public spaces in an effort to encourage the public to limit social interactions and adhere to the regulations. Our focus is to keep our community safe through education, voluntary compliance and enforcement. 

Fines for individuals violating a provincial order under the EMCPA can range from $750 to $100,000, including up to one year in jail. Corporations can face fines of up to $10,000,000.

Please read the Public Notice for River Access Re-Opening Guidelines

County of Brant River Access Points are now open.

This includes:

• The Eric Thomlinson River Access on Forbes Drive, Glen Morris
• Penman’s Dam (north of the dam), 116 Willow St. Paris
• The Bean Park River Access
  
  For information on the Grand River Conservation Authority Park River Access Points please visit their website.

Additional information:

• No commercial river access permits are being issued at this time.
• Use may occur between 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, 7 days per week, launches must occur by 2:00 pm daily
• Groups (of five people or less) must practice physical distancing from other groups
• Practice physical distancing when using the boardwalk and stairs

There are a number of food banks in the County of Brant.  For a listing of these as well as other social services resources please visit www.brant.ca/BrantCares

Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program satellite office:

As of March 17 2020 at 4:30 pm, the Community Services Office at 15 Curtis Ave. N., Paris also closed. As a result, the Ontario Works Paris satellite office and the Ontario Disability Support Program satellite office will also be closed. Please contact your case worker directly for more information.

As of Saturday, May 16, 2020:

• Private parks and campgrounds may open to enable preparation for the season and to allow access for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full season contract. Re-opening is at the discretion of the park owner.

County of Brant Trails
Trails owned and/or managed by the County of Brant are open, but you must practice physical distancing and maintain a minimum of 2 metres / 6 feet from others. Dogs are permitted in parks and trails on a leash and please stoop and scoop. Refrain from littering in the parks and on trails. When using parking lots, leave one space between vehicles. If parking lot is nearing capacity, come back at a different time when it is less busy.

Here’s an interactive map of the open and closed trails and parks: https://maps.brant.ca/opentrails

Here are additional maps of the trails by community:

• Overview Map (pdf)
• Paris (pdf)
• Mount Pleasant (pdf)
• Burford (pdf)

Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA)
For information about the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) owned and managed properties, facilities, trails and passive use conservation, please visit www.grandriver.ca/en/who-we-are/covid-19.aspx

City of Brantford
Please check the City of Brantford’s website for Park and Trail status for trails that cross municipal boundaries. www.brantford.ca/trails

At this time, Brant eRide will continue to operate. Please use for essential travel only. Enhanced cleaning practices of vehicles has been implemented. We will continue to monitor the situation and address the delivery of public transportation services as required.

The County of Brant waste collection crews continue to pick up blue box material and garbage on the regular schedule. Their efforts on behalf of our community are appreciated more than ever during this time, and we want to keep them healthy.  While crews have their own health and safety procedures in place, they have asked that we take these extra steps to help protect them on the job.

• Ensure used tissues and napkins are placed in the garbage
• Put all garbage in securely tied garbage bags, not loose in garbage cans
• If you are sick, place any item that has come into contact with your mouth, nose or eyes into the garbage. This includes items you would normally put in the blue box, such as water bottles, pop cans, juice boxes, etc.

These steps will help protect the health of crews who handle thousands of bins, bags and boxes each week. We all have a role to play and by working together we can make a difference.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Please refrain from using the Biggars Lane Landfill or Paris Transfer Station unless necessary.

Residents are asked to refrain from using the waste facilities at Biggar’s Lane Landfill and the Paris Transfer Station.

If use of the facilities is necessary, please note that as of Monday March 30, 2020, the County of Brant’s Solid Waste Facilities operating hours have been reduced.

The site hours will be open as follows:

• Biggars Lane Landfill – Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 4:00 pm.  Closed Saturday and Sunday.
• Paris Transfer Station – Saturday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Closed weekdays and Sunday.

The number of users/vehicles allowed on the sites at one time will be reduced to enable physical distancing. Long waits may occur at times.

Details on the locations of the site can be found on the County website at www.brant.ca/en/resident-services/landfill-and-transfer-station.aspx

The following measures for protection of staff and residents have been implemented:

• Only debit and credit payments will be accepted
• County staff will be practicing social distancing (i.e. maintain 2 metres separating themselves and others)
• If 2 meters of separation cannot be maintained with the Scale House Attendants, users will be instructed to communicate with the Scale House Attendants by calling the scale house phone numbers, if they have a cell phone. A sign is posted at the scale house with instructions.

A friendly reminder to County of Brant residents:

Wipes
Disinfecting wipes are helping people combat spreading germs. Please remember to throw wipes in the trash. Refrain from flushing wipes down the toilet as this can cause blockages and damage to wastewater (sanitary) and septic systems.  

Wipes can cause damage to sewer systems and equipment even if they are labeled "flushable" or "septic-safe".  When a product is labeled 'flushable' it generally means that it will clear your toilet bowl but does not mean it will clear your pipes or break down in the wastewater system and at a wastewater treatment plant.

Toilet paper dissolves easily in the wastewater systems.  However, wipes and paper towels do not.  

For more information, visit: www.brant.ca/en/resident-services/Sanitary-Sewer-Connections.aspx

For more information, visit: Canadian Water and Wastewater article "COVID-19 and Sewers – To avoid a Sewage Back-up don’t treat your toilet like trash can"