City launches “Hamilton Reopens: A Roadmap to our New Reality” COVID-19 Recovery Plan

HAMILTON, ON – Earlier today, Paul Johnson, Director of the City of Hamilton’s Emergency Operations Centre, delivered a presentation to Hamilton City Council outlining Hamilton’s COVID-19 recovery plan. Hamilton Reopens outlines the City’s plan for a gradual, safe and measured reopening of municipal facilities and restart of City services and programs.

Since COVID-19 began to spread in Hamilton in March 2020, the City has taken steps to prioritize the health and safety of residents and employees. Municipal facilities were closed, and programming and events were cancelled. Many municipal services were able to continue, and the organization found new and different ways to continue delivering as many services as possible.

The Hamilton Reopens plan serves as a roadmap to our new reality – one where COVID-19 is present in our community. It outlines the steps the City will take to keep residents and employees safe and provides a plan for the safe reopening of facilities and the restart of services and programs.

Quick Facts about Hamilton Reopens

• Hamilton Reopens has three overarching phases, each aligning generally with the Province of Ontario’s Reopening Framework.
• The City will take guidance from the Province of Ontario as we move between phases. However, reopening in Hamilton will depend on the pandemic situation within our city, and may not align exactly with the Province’s phases.
• Advice from the provincial Chief Medical Officer of Health, our local Medical Officer of Health and other public health officials will help determine the speed at which we proceed through the phases of reopening and will help to determine if health and safety measures need to be adjusted at any time.
• No dates are referenced for any of the phases.
• Hamilton Reopens will be updated regularly and will likely change as the COVID-19 emergency evolves, and as the Province of Ontario updates its Emergency Orders and makes announcements for reopening businesses, schools, child care and more.

The City of Hamilton delivers more than 70 services to the community. During the COVID-19 emergency, some of these services have continued, and some have continued on a modified basis. Some services were postponed or cancelled due to resourcing or other health and safety related concerns. Hamilton Reopens provides information on each City service through each of the phases of reopening.

The report also outlines the steps the City will take to keep residents and employees healthy and safe in municipal facilities and spaces as staff as we start to slowly reopen. It identifies 15 municipal workplaces or environments, some where residents may visit and outlines the different requirements and controls that will be in place in each of them.

A full version of the plan is available at www.hamilton.ca/reopens

“As we enter the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and gradually re-open our community and City facilities, we have to be mindful that the virus is still out there. Hamilton Reopens outlines the important steps we will be taking to determine how we will open so when the province says we can do so safely, we have a plan to get people back to work and facilities back up and running. The new normal when accessing our facilities and services will be an adjustment, but I am confident our staff and people in our community will do what is necessary.  Thank you, Hamilton, for continuing to do your part during this crisis to keep yourself, your family, your co-workers and your neighbours safe.” - Mayor Fred Eisenberger

“It’s important for our community to understand that the COVID-19 emergency is not over. While we are planning for the slow return of City services and reopening of our facilities, almost everything we do as a municipality is going to be different going forward. Hamilton Reopens illustrates how we are prioritizing the health and safety of staff and the public, and what the community can expect when they are accessing City services as we head toward our new reality. I’m so proud of this plan and my sincere thanks go to the team of staff who have worked tirelessly over the last few weeks to bring it to fruition.” - Paul Johnson, Emergency Operations Centre Director

Additional Resources

• For regular City of Hamilton COVID-19 updates, please visit www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus and www.hamilton.ca/covidclosures
• For information about Hamilton Reopens, please visit www.hamilton.ca/reopens
• Visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19
• Public Health Services’ COVID-19 Hotline: 905-974-9848 or [email protected]
• Information about financial supports available from other levels of government to help individuals and families experiencing challenges due to COVID-19: https://www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus/financial-support-individuals
• Caring for our mental health during the COVID-19 emergency:
  • https://www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus/taking-care-your-mental-health
  • http://ontario.cmha.ca/news/tips-to-manage-mental-health-during-covid-19/
  • https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/taking-care-mental-health.html
  • Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (24/7)
  • COAST: 905-972-8338