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News Release
September 4, 2020
Allows municipalities to focus on reopening their communities
TORONTO — The Ontario government announced today that municipalities will not be required to conduct their annual mock emergency exercise this year.
Recognizing that municipalities and provincial ministries continue to actively engage their emergency management procedures and programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Solicitor General has suspended the requirement for exercises in 2020.
This temporary suspension will allow municipalities to focus on reopening their communities and local economies while keeping Ontarians safe.
"The COVID-19 emergency has required all of us to act quickly and respond to challenges none of us could ever have imagined," said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. "Clearly, 2020 has been a true test of our emergency plans, which is why we can safely waive the requirement for practice exercises this year. I applaud our municipal partners as they have demonstrated extraordinary collaboration, determination and resilience throughout the pandemic to protect public health and reopen our communities."
"Our government has been working closely with our municipal partners to help ensure they have the flexibility, tools and resources they need to keep our communities safe and functioning during this challenging time," said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "Waiving the requirement for municipalities to conduct a mock emergency exercise this year allows them to focus on what matters most right now - continuing to protect the health and well-being of all Ontarians."
"The government's flexibility and understanding of the operating challenges faced by municipal governments during this time is welcome," said President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Graydon Smith. "The exemption from conducting the mock emergency exercises in 2020 will enable municipalities to continue to focus on the pandemic response. At the same time, Ontario's municipal governments continue to work alongside the Ontario government to protect the health and safety of their residents through ongoing planning for emergencies of all types."
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