Residents of Pelham,

Today, in coordination with the Region of Niagara and all Niagara municipalities – save for Niagara-on-the-Lake who has previously declared – I have declared a State of Emergency in Pelham.

Taking the step to declare an emergency is not made without thoughtful consideration and productive conversation with trusted advisors and health experts. This step symbolizes the very real situation we are in and the absolute necessity of adhering to guidance and orders issued by all levels of government and health units.

Each municipality in Niagara is unique, with its own challenges, demographics, and services. A declaration of a state of emergency, though equally important regardless of community, is done with its residents in mind.

The Town of Pelham has a high population of seniors, a demographic that has been strongly urged by the provincial government to stay at home and self-isolate regardless of health. I, too, encourage those who are 70 years old and older to stay home. We want to keep this group, and everyone, safe.

The Town also has many residents who work in the health care industry and travel outside of Pelham to perform critical and essential service. Keeping these front-line workers healthy and offering support is paramount. If these people become ill, who will we depend on to keep us healthy?

Many of you understand the gravity of this pandemic and are complying with requests to self-isolate, stay home, and physically distance. Thank you. There are some, however, who have still not fully appreciated these messages, and I call on you know to re-evaluate your decisions to gather in groups or to go out for non-essential reasons. It is not too late to change your behaviour. Your friends, family, and community depend on you.

It is more critical now than ever to obey mandatory directives:

• Stop all gatherings of more than five people (this includes private gatherings of extended family)
• Avoid all outdoor recreational amenities, including parks, playgrounds and sports fields
• Close all non-essential businesses
• Stay home as much as possible and only leave the house once a week if required
• Self-isolate for 14 days if you have symptoms or have returned to Canada from being outside the country
• Practice physical distancing and wash hands frequently

We can and will get through this, but we can’t do it alone, we have to do it together.

If you need or want to learn more, visit the Town of Pelham website at www.pelham.ca/covid19 for updates, information, and more about this pandemic.

Sincerely,

Mayor Marvin Junkin