City of Thunder Bay closes facilities, cancels council meetings over COVID-19 concerns

The City of Thunder Bay is closing a number of facilities, and cancelling council meetings over concerns about a possible COVID-19 outbreak.

"This is pretty much the ultimate team game that we are involved in," Mauro said. "We are all in this together."

Several Thunder Bay facilities are being closed until further notice, effective Monday, March 13:

• Canada Games Complex
• Churchill Pool
• Volunteer Pool
• All city-run arenas (the Fort William Gardens, Neebing, Delaney, Port Arthur, Grandview, Current River)
• The55 Plus Centre and West Arthur Community Centre
• Community centres (West Thunder, Current River, North End, Oliver Road, North McIntyre, Jumbo Gardens, South Neebing, Vale, Vickers Heights)
• The Kinsmen Youth Centre
• The Baggage Building Arts Centre
• The Water Garden Pavilion

Monday's meeting of Thunder Bay City Council was also cancelled, and meetings of advisory committees and working groups are suspended. Future meetings will only be scheduled as needed.

Provincial offences court is closed until April 4, and all matters will be rescheduled when courts resume. The court administration office in VictoriavilleCentre will remain open to take fine payments.

The Harry Kirk Archives and Records Centre will be closed to the public, although staff will be available by phone or appointment for research purposes.

And while Thunder Bay Transit and Lift+ will continue to operate, the city is advising people to avoid non-essential trips, and not to take transit if they're feeling unwell.

There remain a number of unanswered questions, however.

For example,Gale said he couldn't comment yet on whether city staff who work at the closed facilities will continue to be paid during the closures.

A 'fluid sitiuation'

"The corporation is disparate, the employees belong to different collective agreements, the employees are non-union, and it depends on thecircumstances and the nature of their work," Gale said. "We are working on this now, we are communicating with our employees, but the answer to that question is broad and complex."

"It's a fluid situation, and I can't say at this time," Gale said. "We're also watching government, Ontario and Canada, make decisions, as well. We are responsive, and we are sensitive to these circumstances."

Mauro said the city will also work to ensure no major projectsare delayed due to less-frequent council meetings.

"I'll still be coming into the office," Mauro said. "We met this morning with the clerk, asking her to come back, advise us what is on the agendas of the next two, three council meetings, to ensure that there's nothing that needs to be done, that's time sensitive, that we miss, or that slides by."

"We'll have a better sense of what we need to do, and whether or not we will be announcing future cancellations of council meetings ... in the next two or three days, I would say."