Delivery of City’s essential services to continue during Covid-19 response

Coronavirus test

BRANTFORD, ON: In addition to the preventative measures that The City of Brantford has implemented to date to help protect the health and safety of our citizens and staff, the City will continue to provide essential services to residents throughout the duration of the Covid-19 response, as outlined below:

  1. Water Sewage
  2.  Water Treatment and Distribution
  3. Ambulance Services
  4. Police Services
  5. Fire Services (including response to emergency calls, fire investigations and fleet maintenance as required. Educational events and services are suspended for the time being.)
  6. Brantford Power
  7. Union Gas
  8. Snow Clearing
  9. Landfill (solid waste services)
  10. Cemeteries
  11. IT Services
  12. Finance
  13. Legal Services
  14. Human Resources
  15. Clerks and Council  Support
  16. Social Services
  17. Fleet
  18. Transit
  19. Communications and Community Engagement (Corporate Communication)
  20. Customer Service
  21. Forestry Services
  22. Road and Bridge Safety Services (all activities required to maintain safe vehicle movement)
  23. Flood Control Services
  24. By-law Officers

Current Impacts to City Programs and Services

Consistent with the advice provided by Public Health Canada and to help mitigate the onset of community spread in our region, today the City of Brantford announced additional cancellations and modifications in the way we deliver non-essential programs and services. For the purposes of providing direction to the public, “non-essential” is defined as meetings or programs that are not legislatively mandated, time sensitive, or that have a direct impact the health and safety of City residents.

New today are the following processes and customer service modifications that will go into effect immediately:

Health and Human Services offices located at 220 Colborne Street remain open; however, access to computers, photocopiers and phones will be limited. All documents can be dropped through the mail drop box. photocopying and computer use is no longer available. To protect staff and clients, social distancing measures will be in place for interactions with Housing, Homelessness Services, Children’s Services and Ontario Works staff. Prior to your visit to Health and Human Services please call (519) 759-3330 to make proper arrangements for in person meetings. Where possible, our staff will assist you by phone.

If you receive Ontario Works benefits by cheque, please contact your Service Coordinator as soon as possible to arrange an alternative form of payment for March 31, so that we can help you receive benefits on time.

 City Hall at 100 Wellington St. remains open with limited counter service on the first floor.

  • All in-person business and licensing lottery services are hereby suspended until further notice.
  • All 2019 business licences in good standing will remain active until June 1st, 2020 without penalty.
  • Business Licensing renewals will continue to be processed by mail. (Expect delays).
  • Tax and Water payments will NOT be accepted at City Hall.
  • For Lottery and Marriage Licensing enquiries, please email: licensing@brantford.ca 
  • The Public Works Commission service counter on the first floor is temporarily closed and as such for the time being are unable to process permits for: Site Alteration, Road Occupancy Permits, Street Excavation Permits, Driveway Permits, application intake for the Lead Service Replacement Financial Assistance Program, the Sewer Lateral Replacement Grant Program, Lead Filter application and distribution and recycling bin distribution.
  • For urgent parking or traffic concerns please call the City’s Customer Contact Center at 519-759-4150.
  • The Building Department front counters are closed. Visitors will be instructed to drop off materials at the 1st Floor Clerk’s / Customer Service counter.  Building and By-law Enforcement inspections will continue and can be scheduled by calling 519-759-4150.
  • The Planning Department counter on the second floor is now closed. Visitors will be instructed to drop materials off at the 1st Floor Clerk’s / Customer Service counter.
  • Over the counter Golf Memberships/Registrations will be suspended until further notice.

The Market Centre Parkade at 59 Icomm Dr. remains open, however the Parking Office is closed. The following services are still operational:

  • Security
  • Janitorial 
  • Parking Enforcement
  • Processing of Parking Fines
  • Parking Lot machines remain operable
  • Kiosks at the Parkade will remain open at this time

 With the parking office closed, there will be suspension of over the counter services of fines, ticket inquiries or purchase of monthly parking permits. Parking fine payments can be done online or by cheque and dropped off at the Parking Office box located just outside the office. Disputed tickets must be dropped off at the drop box or mailed.

 The Business Resource Centre at 1 Market St. is closed to the public for in-person visits and appointments, however Starter Company Plus and business consultations are available via a WebEx virtual platform/format beginning March 16th.

Visitors to City facilities that are open (City Hall and 220 Colborne St.) will continue to be screened and asked to sign in.

A complete list of non-essential City programs and services that have been suspended until at least April 5, 2020 is available at brantford.ca/closures. 

Health inquiries
In the city of Brantford, the BCHU is the lead agency for local information about Coronavirus (Covid-19). 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.

 The City of Brantford is grateful to our residents for their ongoing co-operation and understanding of the measures the City is putting in place to protect our citizens at this time. 

Any additional updates regarding City programs and services, and the continuity of essential services will be shared regularly on the City’s Facebook and Twitter pages and at brantford.ca/Covid-19.

-30-

 Media Contact

Maria Visocchi - Director, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Brantford | 519.751.9900 ext. 5754 |  mvisocchi@brantford.ca