April 8, 2022

For Immediate Release

Elgin County, St. Thomas, and Local Municipalities Rescind Municipal Emergency Declarations

Central Elgin, ON – On April 8, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., the County of Elgin, the City of St. Thomas, and Elgin County’s Local Municipal Partners (Municipality of Bayham, Township of Malahide, Town of Aylmer, Municipality of Central Elgin, Township of Southwold, Municipality of Dutton Dunwich, and Municipality of West Elgin) rescinded their municipal emergency declarations.

On March 17, 2020 the Province of Ontario declared an Emergency under the Emergency Measures and Civil Protection Act. This allowed the province to implement and enforce the necessary emergency orders to protect the health and safety of Ontarians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to this declaration, the County of Elgin, the City of St. Thomas, and Elgin County’s seven (7) Local Municipal Partners also declared emergencies at the municipal level. These emergencies have been in place since March 2020. 

Over the course of March 2022, key public health and health system indicators across Ontario remained stable or improved. Ontario is cautiously and gradually easing public health and workplace safety measures. All public health measures are excepted to be lifted by April 27, 2022.

As restrictions are lifted provincially, the Elgin County Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) comprised of representatives from Elgin Country, the City of St. Thomas, and all seven (7) of Elgin’s Local Municipal Partners, decided to simultaneously end the emergency declarations in their respective jurisdictions. 

Over the past 24 months, Local Municipalities have worked closely together to provide a coordinated approach to protecting the health and well-being of residents. Collective priorities included: the health, safety, and well-being of the public and municipal employees; and maintaining essential services that residents rely on. These goals could not have been accomplished without the efforts of local residents. The County of Elgin, the City of St. Thomas, and Elgin’s Local Municipal Partners would like to sincerely thank residents for their patience, cooperation, and compassion during these difficult years. Our communities have come together to make significant adjustments and sacrifices to ensure the health and safety of neighbours, coworkers, friends, and the most vulnerable among us. We also recognize those who have lost their lives or been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These difficult times will not soon be forgotten.

As restrictions lift and we regain a sense of normalcy, the County of Elgin, the City of St. Thomas and Elgin’s Local Municipal Partners will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation provincially and locally and will follow all guidance from the province and Southwestern Public Health. We wish all residents and employees a healthy and safe remainder of 2022.

For additional information, please contact:

Mayor Duncan McPhail, Municipality of West Elgin

 dmcphail@westelgin.net