February 2022 Newsletter

An exciting New Promotion comes to town!

The Township of Uxbridge is undertaking a pilot project that will use technology to support local merchants. Trail use is at an all-time high and the Township is looking to maintain, enhance and protect those natural assets. The PAiY app will allow out-of-town trail users to pay for their parking using their smartphone while receiving notifications about promotions currently offered at local retail stores and eateries.
Local businesses are invited to take part in this 3-month Apres Trail Pilot, expected to run through the summer of 2022. Local businesses wishing to showcase themselves to the thousands of visitors to our trail system should email hgayman@uxbridge.ca before February 16, 2022.
Businesses will be required to create an ad or promotion that showcases their business to trail users, as well as attend a short training session on how to use the PAiY portal to load offers into the app.

Pre-order your Rapid Antigen Tests

Uxbridge Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the Scugog Chamber of Commerce to offer workplace Self-Screening, Rapid Antigen Testing Kits, with supplies expected to arrive next week.
Interested businesses may send their business name and number of employees to info@scugogchamber.ca.
You will be contacted when supplies arrive.

Health Restrictions Easing

Ontario began the process of gradually easing restrictions, while maintaining protective measures. Enhanced proof of vaccination, and other requirements continue to apply in existing settings.

January 31, 2022:

Increasing social gathering limits to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
Increasing or maintaining capacity limits at 50 per cent in indoor public settings, including but not limited to:
Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments without dance facilities;

Retailers (including grocery stores and pharmacies)
Shopping malls;
Non-spectator areas of sports and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms;
Cinemas;
Meeting and event spaces;
Recreational amenities and amusement parks, including water parks;
Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos and similar attractions; and
Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
Religious services, rites, or ceremonies.
Allowing spectator areas of facilities such as sporting events, concert venues and theatres to operate at 50 per cent seated capacity or 500 people, whichever is less.

February 21, 2022 - Ontario will lift public health measures, including:

Increasing social gathering limits to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
Removing capacity limits in indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including but not limited to restaurants, indoor sports and recreational facilities, cinemas, as well as other settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements.
Permitting spectator capacity at sporting events, concert venues, and theatres at 50 per cent capacity.
Limiting capacity in most remaining indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is not required to the number of people that can maintain two metres of physical distance.
Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies limited to the number that can maintain two metres of physical distance, with no limit if proof of vaccination is required.
Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, wedding receptions in meeting or event spaces where there is dancing, as well as bathhouses and sex clubs.

March 14, 2022 - Ontario will take additional steps to ease public health measures, including:

Lifting capacity limits in all indoor public settings. Proof of vaccination will be maintained in existing settings in addition to other regular measures.
Lifting remaining capacity limits on religious services, rites, or ceremonies.
Increase social gathering limits to 50 people indoors with no limits for outdoor gatherings.

Considering a Building Improvement or Addition?

A new Durham Region By-law outlines an increase in Development Fees associated with additions or building improvements, which is worth considering when planning renovations. For more details contact the Township of Uxbridge Development Services Department at 905-852-9181 or visit their website.