COVID-19 Newmarket Updates

Newmarket will continue with its approach for 12-17-year-olds participating in organized sports, as announced on September 21, 2021, with enforcement starting November 1

Starting September 22, those entering certain indoor public settings will be required to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of full vaccination* status in accordance with Provincial legislation. In an effort to remain consistent and fair, the Town will be implementing the following:

• From September 22 to October 31: All individuals 12+ (with the exception of those 12-17 who are participating in an organized sport) will be required to provide proof of full vaccination* for entry into a Town facility or recreation program, including access to the Customer Service Kiosks at the Magna Centre and the Ray Twinney Recreation Complex.
  • Note: The Newmarket Public Library is exempt from this regulation (as per the Provincial regulations) and the Library Board will be discussing vaccination requirements for use of the Library at an upcoming meeting.

• November 1: All individuals 12+ (regardless of their participation in an organized sport) will be required to provide proof of full vaccination* for entry into a Town facility, including the Customer Service Kiosks, and participation in all recreation programs and events as approved at the Special Council Meeting on September 21.
  • Note: The Town will be exploring ways to ensure those who are unvaccinated will still be able to access in-person services by appointment. As always, Town continues to offer its services digitally to all residents.  

• Children age 0-11 do not need to be vaccinated
• Those with medical exemptions. Participants will need to provide proof of medical exemption with a letter from a doctor or nurse practitioner  
• From September 22 to October 31 only:
  • Youths ages 12-17 who are actively participating in an organized sport for training, practices and games. As of November 1, proof of vaccination will be required for all those 12+.   
• Entry into the Newmarket Public Library (depending on the direction set by the Newmarket Public Library Board which will be decided at a later date)  

1. Proof of completion of the Town of Newmarket’s public screening survey
2. Hard copy / digital copy of your proof of vaccination (two doses of a Heath Canada Approved Vaccine or one dose of the Jansen (Johnson and Johnson) vaccine dated at least 14 days prior to entry into a Town facility.
   1. You can obtain a copy of this medical record through the Province of Ontario’s webpage.  
3. A piece of ID that includes your full name and date of birth. (i.e. Driver’s License, Health Card, Government issued identification card etc.)

At today's Council meeting it was decided that the Town of Newmarket will move forward with a required vaccination policy for all staff, inline with various other public and private sector organizations. With COVID-19 cases rising throughout York Region and the province and the Delta variant continuing to cause significant concerns, this is an important step forward to continue to protect the health and safety of the Newmarket community and Town staff.

"The health of our residents, our staff and their families, those that are vulnerable in our community and our small businesses is too great a risk not to implement vaccine requirements" says Mayor John Taylor. "We know that vaccinations are our best defence against COVID-19 and we have seen from other countries around the world that even with high vaccination rates, hospitalizations and ICU's can be overwhelmed by the unvaccinated. Please everyone get vaccinated – it will save lives and will save businesses."

Council has directed staff to prepare a draft policy that will come back to the Committee of the Whole meeting on September 13. The policy will require all Town of Newmarket staff to receive two doses of a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine to ensure the best protection possible against COVID-19. Staff will be required to provide proof of first vaccination by October 1, 2021 and proof of second dose by November 1, 2021, in line with York Region's policy. Staff members with valid medical or other human rights-based exemptions will be considered for appropriate accommodation within the policy.

The draft policy for required staff vaccinations is anticipated to be on the agenda for the September 13 Committee of the Whole meeting. In addition to municipal staff, Council has directed staff to review potential vaccination requirements for public attendance at Town facilities, which will also come forward on September 13, streamed live at newmarket.ca/meetings. Additional details will be provided when the policy is finalized.

The Town of Newmarket has officially lifted the State of Emergency that was enacted on March 18, 2020 in response to the global pandemic. The State of Emergency was enacted to allow the Town to take certain actions and to increase emergency orders to reduce the spread of COVID-19. With the State of Emergency lifted, the Mayor will no longer have the sole authority to invoke measures without approval from all members of Council.  

For more information on COVID-19 in Newmarket, please visit newmarket.ca/covid19. For more information on Vaccination Clinics in York Region, please visit york.ca/covid19vaccineinfo

 
"I am pleased that we are able to reopen some of our indoor recreational amenities to the public as soon as possible with more set to reopen as we fully transition into Step Three of the Province's reopening plan," says Mayor John Taylor. "With the COVID-19 numbers starting to come down due to an increase in vaccinations, it's now more important than ever that we continue this trend. If you haven't done so already, please book a vaccine appointment at one of York Region's vaccination clinics and continue to follow public health guidelines to ensure we continue this downward trend of COVID-19 cases."
 
The Magna Centre pool will reopen to the public on Monday, July 19 for various programming, including: public swim, lane swim and parent and tot swimming. Aqua Fitness will resume the week of July 26. The Fitness Centre will also resume operations on Monday, July 19 with indoor fitness classes expected to restart on August 3. All programs will operate in accordance with public health and safety measures. All participants must register ahead of time, with weekly registration opening each Sunday at 8 a.m., for the following week. Registration for Monday, July 19 times lots will begin on Sunday, July 18 at 8 a.m. at play.newmarket.ca.
 
For more information on programs, schedules, registration information and how the Town is keeping participants safe, please visit newmarket.ca/swimming and/or newmarket.ca/fitness
 
One ice pad at the Magna Centre will be available for use by community groups and organizations. For more information, please email [email protected]
 
The Newmarket Youth Centre and Skatepark is scheduled to reopen on July 26. For more information, please visit newmarket.ca/youth  
 
The Ray Twinney Recreation Complex remains in use by York Region Public Health as a Regional Vaccination Clinic and a drop-in program area for vulnerable populations and the Newmarket Seniors' Meeting Place is currently in use by Southlake Regional Health Centre as a COVID-19 Assessment Centre.
 
Step Three of the Roadmap focuses on the resumption of additional indoor services with larger numbers of people and restrictions in place. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people with limited exceptions
• Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people;
• Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities to open subject to a maximum 50 per cent capacity of the indoor space
• Essential and non-essential retail with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metre
• Indoor dining permitted with no limits on the number of patrons per table with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect

For a full list of the regulations, please view the media release.
 
Face coverings in indoor public settings and physical distancing requirements remain in place throughout Step Three.
 
The Province will remain in Step Three of the Roadmap for at least 21 days and until 80 per cent of the eligible population aged 12 and over has received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 75 per cent have received their second, with no public health unit having less than 70 per cent of their eligible population aged 12 and over fully vaccinated. 
 
For more information on what's open and closed in Newmarket, visit newmarket.ca/reopen.

dNewmarket along with the Province of Ontario will be entering stage 2 of the Roadmap to Reopen Plan on June 30 at 12:01. a.m. with key public health indicators continuing to improve and the provincewide vaccination rate targets continuing to rise.

Step Two of the Roadmap focuses on the resumption of more outdoor activities and limited indoor services with small numbers of people where face coverings are worn, with other restrictions in place. 

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Outdoor social gatherings with up to 25 people;
  
• Outdoor public events with a capacity of 25 per cent of the designated space 
• Outdoor fitness classes limited to the number of people who can maintain 3 metres of physical distance and more.
  

For a full list of regulations, please view the Province of Ontario's media release.

During Step Two, the Town will be offering Outdoor Group Fitness classes starting the week of July 5. There will be five different four-week sessions that will take place at the southwest outdoor green space at the Magna Centre. More information can be found at newmarket.ca/fitness

The Town of Newmarket is pleased to move forward with a reopening plan in response to last week's provincial announcement that Newmarket is now within the red-control zone of the Province's reopening framework. The Town's reopening plan continues to provide safe recreation opportunities and events to the community, while also balancing the significant financial impacts of COVID-19.

"The main goal when making these service level decisions was to do everything that we can to support physical activity for youth and the community," says Mayor John Taylor. "We've had to make some tough choices in order to find some savings but at the end of the day, the Town is committed to providing much-needed recreational options and modified events that we can all enjoy safely. We will continue to seek support from other levels of government to limit the financial impacts of COVID-19 as much as possible."

The following facilities and services will reopen/resume with strict health and safety measures in place in accordance with public health measures.

Pools

The Manga Centre pool is scheduled to reopen on March 8. Patrons will be required to register for their swim session in advance. Reservations can be booked one day in advance at 9 a.m. at play.newmarket.ca.

The Outdoor Gorman Pool will reopen this season. More details will be provided closer to the reopening date.

The pool at the Ray Twinney Recreation Complex will remain closed until further notice. The decision to potentially reopen the facility will be revisited in May.

Fitness Centre at the Magna Centre

The Fitness Center at the Magna Centre is scheduled to reopen on March 8. Reservations are required. Residents can register for timeslot at the Fitness Centre one day in advance as of 9 a.m. at play.newmarket.ca.

Ice Rinks

The Town is committing to operating four ice pads this season for various user groups. Two rinks at the Magna Centre are now available for use and a third rink will be available at the Magna Centre beginning next week. The Town is currently working on plans to add a fourth rink in the near future.

Summer Camps and Special Events

The Town is currently exploring options to provide modified summer camps and special events to the community. Camp registration is anticipated to begin in May. Additional details will be communicated as plans are finalized.

Newmarket Public Library

The Newmarket Public Library is gradually reopening for in-person services on March 16 with strict health and safety measures in place. Access to public computer workstations will be permitted for an hour at a time. In-person membership services for issuing and renewing library cards will also be available. As health restrictions ease more services will be added while ensuring the safety of everyone. For more information, please visit newmarketpl.ca

Other outdoor recreation amenities

Outdoor recreation activities that are currently open like skating at Riverwalk Commons, Pickleball (Quaker Park) and tennis (Keith Davis Tennis Centre - outdoor) will remain open with existing health and safety measures in place.

Changes in service to limit the financial impact of COVID-19

In an effort to limit the financial impacts of COVID-19, the Town will be moving forward with the following service updates. With the updated services noted below, it is expected that the Town will save approximately $500,000 to $600,000 this year. Service changes include:

•  Reverting back to the three-bag garbage limit as of April 6, 2021.
• At the beginning of the pandemic a temporary five garbage bag limit was put in place to assist residents who were staying at home. This was put in place as a temporary measure and in an effort to reduce costs, as of April 6, the Town will be reverting back to the bi-weekly three bag garbage limit. Garbage bag tags are available for purchase if additional bags/items are required. For more information visit newmarket.ca/garbagecollection
• Reducing tree plantings this year by 50%
• Last year, the Town of Newmarket planted 500+ trees to help expand Newmarket's tree canopy and is well within the goals set out in the Urban Forestry Management Plan. As such, the Town will reduce tree planting efforts this year by 50% to assist with the financial impact of COVID-19. The reduction in tree planting will not affect tree plantings for trees that were previously removed and need to be replanted.
• Reducing the grass cutting frequency and catch basin cleaning
• Grass cutting will take place once every 10 working days and open spaces and sport fields will take place once every 5 working days.
• Catch basin cleaning by the Town will be reduced by 50%. Residents will not be affected by this service change as the Town's catch basins are in excellent condition.  
• Postponing playground equipment replacement and rehabilitation has been deferred for 2021. As a result, no playgrounds will be closed for construction this year.
• The Town's playground equipment continues to be inspected frequently to ensure it is safe for use and will not be significantly impacted by this postponement as the equipment is in good shape.

The Town will continue to work closely with York Region Public Health and take direction from the Province of Ontario as we try to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

For more information on COVID-19 in Newmarket, please visit newmarket.ca/covid19, for information on what is open and what is closed in Newmarket, please visit newmarket.ca/reopen. For further information on COVID-19 in York Region, please visit york.ca/covid19

This afternoon the Province of Ontario announced that York Region will move to the Red-Control zone of the Provincial Reopening Framework on Monday, February 22. The province made the decision to move York Region back into the Framework at the Red-Control level based on general improvements of key indicators. York Region will no longer be subject to the stay-at-home order, however Public Health has strongly advised people to continue to stay at home and avoid social gatherings to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
 
The Town of Newmarket is happy to move forward with a reopening plan and begin to offer increased services, amenities and programs to the community in the near future. Town of Newmarket services and facilities that are currently closed or cancelled will not immediately resume the week of February 22, as the Town continues to finalize plans for the safe reopening of facilities, amenities and programs. The Town will provide an update on the overall plans and timelines for reopening next week.
 
“As Newmarket moves forward into the Red-Control zone beginning next week, we look forward to welcoming our community back into some of our facilities in the very near future and to gradually begin to resume some safe programming and events that we have all greatly missed. We are excited for the reopening of our restaurants and small businesses who have faced great challenges and continue to amaze us with their perseverance and innovation,” says Newmarket Mayor John Taylor. “I can’t stress enough that we must proceed with caution, it is crucial that we continue to follow all Public Health guidelines, so that we hopefully don’t have to face another shutdown in the coming weeks and months. I’m so proud of how our community has come together throughout these unbelievably challenging times and look forward to a light and the end of the tunnel.”

Outdoor recreation activities that are currently open like skating at Riverwalk Commons and other community outdoor rinks, Pickleball (Quaker Park) and tennis (Keith Davis Tennis Centre - outdoor) will remain open with existing health and safety measures in place. For information on what is currently open and closed in Newmarket, please visit newmarket.ca/reopen.

Under the red-control zone, restaurants are permitted to open for indoor dining and retail, gyms and hair salons are permitted to reopen, all with reduced capacity and strict guidelines in place.

Outdoor gatherings with a maximum of 25 people and indoor gatherings with a maximum of 5 people are also permitted in the red zone. Weddings and religious services can resume with 30 per cent indoor capacity and no more than 100 people outdoors. For more information please refer to the Provincial Reopening Framework.
 
Support for Local Businesses
The Town urges the community to continue to support local businesses by Choosing Local. Visit the Town’s online shopping directory to easily search for and support Newmarket businesses all in one place at newmarket.ca/chooselocal.

Local businesses seeking guidance and support in continuing to navigate the COVID-19 landscape can contact the Town’s Business Assistance Concierge at newmarket.ca/BAC for assistance.

The Town will continue to work closely with York Region Public Health and take direction from the Province of Ontario as we try to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available. 

For more information on COVID-19 in Newmarket, please visit newmarket.ca/covid19, for information on what is open and what is closed in Newmarket, please visit newmarket.ca/reopen. For further information on COVID-19 in York Region, please visit york.ca/covid19

Due to cold temperatures, the Town of Newmarket has activated and continues to provide its warming facility at the Ray Twinney Recreation Complex (100 Eagle Street West) main lobby to assist those in need. This warming facility will be open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until further notice. Those who require assistance outside of these hours can reach out to York Region's Transitional Shelter by calling 1-877-464-9675 or emailing [email protected] 

Please note that the rest of the building will not be open to the public and there will be a maximum capacity of 10 people in accordance with regulations set out by Public Health and the Province of Ontario.

Residents who are using the warming facility must follow public health guidelines by practicing proper hand hygiene, wearing a mask or face covering and staying at least 6ft./2m. away from others using the facility (physical distancing) at all times. 

Residents will be screened by staff when they arrive and asked to sanitize their hands and wear a mask / face covering before entering. Disposable masks will be provided if they do not have one.

Residents who wish to use the warming facility are also asked to participate in a self-health screening process prior to entering the building. Those who have any of the symptoms of COVID-19 (noted below) are asked to refrain from entering the building and to seek assessment and testing as early as possible at a Newmarket's COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Southlake Regional Health Centre (596 Davis Drive). 

Symptoms can include but are not limited to:

• Fever (temperature of 37.8 degree celsius or greater)

• New or worsening cough

• Shortness of breath

Other symptoms can include:

• Sore throat or difficulty swallowing

• New smell or taste disorder(s)

• Nausea / vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain

• Runny nose, or nasal congestion (unrelated to seasonal allergies, post nasal drip etc.)

Programming and support for those in need 

York Region continues to offer various support services and emergency and transitional housing for those experiencing homelessness in York Region. 

York Region is offering a new Drop-by Program in Newmarket in partnership with Inn From the Cold, Krasman Centre and Town of Newmarket. The program provides vital services and supports to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness within a safe and warm environment. Learn more about what is being offered at this drop-in program. Those looking for additional assistance can contact Inn from the Cold at 905-895-8889 or York Region's Outreach Team at 1-866-553-4053. 

For more information on general COVID-19 information, visit york.ca/covid19. For more information on how to protect yourself against extreme heat, visit Health Canada's website.

For more information on Newmarket's warming station, call 905-895-5193 or visit newmarket.ca/covid19.

Due to the forecasted cold temperatures, the Town of Newmarket opened a temporary warming facility today in the Ray Twinney Recreation Complex (100 Eagle Street West) main lobby to assist those in need. This warming facility will be open today (January 29, 2021) until 4 p.m. Those who require assistance outside of today and these hours can reach out to York Region’s Transitional Shelter by calling 1-877-464-9675 or emailing [email protected] 

Please note that the rest of the building will not be open to the public and there will be a maximum capacity of 10 people in accordance with regulations set out by Public Health and the Province of Ontario.

Residents who are using the warming station must follow public health guidelines by practicing proper hand hygiene, wearing a mask or face covering and staying at least 6ft./2m. away from others using the facility (physical distancing) at all times. 

Residents will be screened by staff when they arrive and asked to sanitize their hands and wear a mask / face covering before entering. Disposable masks will be provided if they do not have one.

Residents who wish to use the warming station are also asked to participate in a self-health screening process prior to entering the building. Those who have any of the symptoms of COVID-19 (noted below) are asked to refrain from entering the building and to seek assessment and testing as early as possible at a Newmarket’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Southlake Regional Health Centre (596 Davis Drive). 

Symptoms can include but are not limited to:

• Fever (temperature of 37.8 degree celsius or greater)
• New or worsening cough
• Shortness of breath

Other symptoms can include:

• Sore throat or difficulty swallowing
• New smell or taste disorder(s)
• Nausea / vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain
• Runny nose, or nasal congestion (unrelated to seasonal allergies, post nasal drip etc.)

Programming and support for vulnerable population
York Region continues to offer various support services and emergency and transitional housing for those experiencing homelessness in York Region. The Town is working with York Region and Inn From the Cold to offer daytime programming for those in need at the Ray Twinney Complex. This daily drop-in program is anticipated to open in early February. Those looking for additional assistance can contact Inn from the Cold at 905-895-8889 or York Region’s Outreach Team at 1-866-553-4053.

For more information on general COVID-19 information, visit york.ca/covid19. For more information on how to protect yourself against extreme heat, visit Health Canada’s website.

For more information on Newmarket’s warming station, call 905-895-5193 or visit newmarket.ca/covid19.

Town of Newmarket Mayor and Members of Council introduced a new Financial Relief Program that will replace the existing 2020 program that is set to expire on January 31, 2021. The purpose of the new Financial Relief Program is to provide a more targeted approach to residents and businesses who are experiencing financial challenges during the pandemic.
 
The new Financial Relief Program for 2021 will include:

• Waiving penalties and interest on unpaid property taxes for eligible residential property owners (through an application process);

• Increasing the existing property tax assistance rebate to elderly residents from $320 to $450;

• Increasing the existing residential water and waste water rebate from $354 to $420; and,

• Providing a water rebate of $1,000 for eligible small businesses (through an application process)
  

"It's important that we as a municipality continue to support our residents, elderly residents, and small local businesses that have been significantly impacted by the pandemic," says Mayor John Taylor. "This innovative Financial Relief Program, coupled with existing provincial and municipal financial measures ensures a fair and targeted approach to support community members who are most in need. If your finances are not significantly impacted by COVID-19, we encourage you to please continue to pay your taxes, hydro and utility bills on time if you can. This will help the Town as we continue to use our resources to support those who require assistance."
 
Eligible residential property owners who wish to have penalties and interest waived on unpaid property taxes will be required to apply through the Town of Newmarket. Eligible applicants must:

1. Be a residential property owner in Newmarket;

2. Have suffered significant reduced hours, job loss or significant loss of income as a result of the pandemic. Property owners will be required to provide documents to support hardship (e.g. letter from employer, Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) or Employment Insurance benefit (EI) eligibility letter; and,

3. Designate one (1) residential property for financial relief

Applications will begin to be accepted the first week of February and will be available online at newmarket.ca/financialreliefprogram.
 
Low-income elderly residents who qualified for the Federal Guaranteed Income Supplement were eligible to apply for a property tax rebate of $320 in 2020. In the new Financial Relief Program, the Town will temporarily increase this rebate from $320 to $450 in 2021.
 
The Town offers eligible residents a water and waste water rebate if they qualify for the Guaranteed Income Supplement under the Old Age Security Act, support under the Ontario Disability Program or Ontario Works Assistance. As part of the 2021 Financial Relief Program, the Town will be increasing the water and waste water rebate from $354 to $420 a year.
 
With the Province of Ontario offering property tax and energy bill rebates (Hydro and Gas) to businesses that are affected by the Provincial lockdown, Mayor and Members of Council wanted to also assist small local businesses further by offering a $1,000 rebate on their water bill. This temporary rebate will be available to eligible small businesses in 2021 as long as the utility account is identified as non-residential (ICI account) and their water meter size is less than 2 inches. Eligible small business tenants can also receive this rebate if the utility account is registered under their name. The Town recognizes that the criteria used to define small businesses for this rebate program may not include all small businesses in Newmarket. However, in order to reduce administration cost and to ensure that this assistance reaches as many businesses as possible, in the shortest amount of time, this definition was used. The Town will ask all landlords who receive this rebate to commit to passing the savings on to their small business tenants, where applicable.
 
All eligible local businesses will see a $100 rebate on their February water bill. Businesses who wish to continue to receive this rebate will be required to submit an application to the Town before March 5, 2021. An application form will be included with the February water bill and available online in February at newmarket.ca/financialreliefprogram.
 
In addition to the Financial Relief Program, the Town has a number of plans in place to support the community as a whole and particularly the most vulnerable in the community through a variety of programs and partnerships. The business community is also being strongly supported through the creation of the Business Assistance Concierge (BAC) program (a virtual business support and resiliency centre), an overall Economic Resiliency Action Plan, and the Choose Local campaign.

If you have any questions on the Financial Relief Program or the Town's response to COVID-19, please contact the Town of Newmarket at 905-895-5193 or email [email protected]

On January 13, the Town of Newmarket temporarily closed all outdoor skating and community rinks and suspended tobogganing for 48 hours in order to seek further clarification from the Province of Ontario about the stay-at-home order. The Town has heard back from the Province of Ontario and would like to thank them for their guidance. As a result, the Town will be reopening all outdoor skating, community rinks and allow for tobogganing in Newmarket with new enhanced measures to prevent against COVID-19. Residents can register for skating at Riverwalk Commons tonight (Thursday, January 14, 2021) at play.newmarket.ca for a time slot on Friday, January 15, 2021.  

"I want to thank Premier Ford for responding to me directly and quickly with clarification related to tobogganing and skating and he has assured me that both activities are allowable. We are able to re-open both activities immediately and in time for the PD day tomorrow," says Mayor John Taylor. "Newmarket will add enhanced protocols and supervision to ensure that these activities take place in the safest manner possible. We are pleased to continue to provide outdoor opportunities for our residents to stay active, healthy and safe during these difficult times."

Outdoor Skating in Newmarket

New measures for outdoor skating at the Tim Hortons Skating Feature at Riverwalk Commons (200 Doug Duncan Drive):

• All skaters must register in advance at play.newmarket.ca to participate in outdoor skating
• NEW! Residents can book their spot online one day in advance starting at 9 a.m.
• NEW! No walk-ins or stand-by spots will be available in an effort to limit crowds gathering at Riverwalk Commons
• NEW! All skaters must wear a mask while waiting in line and while skating on the ice 
• All skaters must maintain at least 6ft./2m apart from others outside of their household at all times
• Hours of operation remain at 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.  
  
• Capacity limits remain at 25 people per skating session
  

New measures for outdoor skating at community rinks:

• Follow the rules posted at Lions Park
• NEW! All skaters must wear a mask while waiting in line and while skating on the ice 
• All skaters must maintain at least 6ft./2m apart from others outside of their household at all times
• Capacity limits remain at 25 people per skating session
  

Newmarket staff will be monitoring the community rinks to ensure rules set out by Public Health are followed and adhered to.

Tobogganing in Newmarket

The Town of Newmarket does not have any designated hills for tobogganing and does not maintain any areas for winter activities. Please use outdoor areas at your own risk and follow these guidelines:

Users must: 

• Check the hill. Make sure it is free of hazards (trees, rocks, fences, bumps)
• Avoid ice-covered areas 
• Make sure there is room at the bottom of the hill to stop – away from roads, or bodies of water
• Use proper sliding equipment and wear a helmet (ski helmets are recommended)
• Make sure your route is clear before sliding
• All children should be supervised by an adult
• Only toboggan with members of the same household 
• Maintain 6ft./2m. at all times from others 
• It is recommended that users wear a mask when tobogganing

Newmarket's By-law officers will be patrolling all parks to educate residents on the above noted safety tips and to ensure residents practice safe physical distancing at all times. 

Newmarket trails, parks and playgrounds are open and residents are encouraged to use them while following all health and safety measures as outlined by the Province. Residents are reminded to wear a face mask or covering when in enclosed public spaces or when physical distancing of at least 6ft./2m. is not possible (indoor and outdoor) and wash your hands frequently.

The Newmarket Public Library remains open for contactless curbside pickup. No in-person services will be available at this time. Learn more by visiting newmarketpl.ca

The Town continues to adapt its business practices in alternative ways so that we can continue to serve the community during these challenging times. For more information on how to access these services, residents can call our Customer Service associates from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 905-895-5193 or by emailing [email protected]. For after-hours service, please call 905-895-5193 and press 3.

COVID-19 Resources:

For more information on the what’s open and closed in Newmarket, visit newmarket.ca/reopen
For more information on COVID-19 in York Region, visit york.ca/covid19 or ontario.ca/coronavirus 

The Province of Ontario recently declared a state of emergency and issued a stay-at-home order requiring everyone to remain at home with exceptions for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise or for essential work. This order will be in effect as of Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. Details of the new regulations have not been released by the Province of Ontario. As we seek further clarification and interpret the available information to the best of our ability, the Town will be temporarily closing all outdoor skating and community rinks as well as suspending tobogganing for the next 48 hours. More information will be provided when it becomes available. 

Newmarket trails, parks and playgrounds will remain open and residents are encouraged to use them while following all health and safety measures as outlined by the Province. Residents are reminded to wear a face mask or covering when in enclosed public spaces or when physical distancing of at least 6ft./2m. is not possible (indoor and outdoor) and wash your hands frequently.

"The next 28 days are going to be extremely difficult as we try to unite as a community and bring down the COVID-19 numbers by adhering to the new regulations, " says Mayor John Taylor. "As difficult as it will be we all must make our strongest effort possible to avoid close contact with others and adhere to the guidelines. The new data tells us that our seniors' lives are at stake and our hospitals could be overwhelmed – this is not an effort to scare people it is quite simply what the data is telling us. However, we also know that we must stay active and healthy both physically and mentally and that is why I continue to encourage people to get outdoors daily on our trails and in our parks. Our Council would like to provide opportunities to be active, especially for our children, but we feel at this time that the direction on skating and tobogganing is not clear and for that reason we are suspending those activities for 48 hours while we seek clarity from the Province. Please respect our Bylaw Officers and work with us as we try to work our way through another difficult time. A united community is a strong community – and Newmarket is a strong community!". 

During the state of emergency and stay-at-home orders, indoor organized public events and social gatherings are not permitted, except with members of the same household. Outdoor organized public events or social gatherings are limited to a maximum of five (5) people so that individuals and families can enjoy time outdoors safely.

The Newmarket Public Library remains open for contactless curbside pickup. No in-person services will be available at this time. Learn more by visiting newmarketpl.ca

Indoor and outdoor dining remains prohibited and take-out and delivery options are permitted. Retail stores can operate for curbside pick-up and delivery between the hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with some exceptions. The Town strongly urges the community to continue to shop local and support local businesses through curbside pick-up, online shopping, take-out and delivery options and by purchasing gift cards when possible. Please visit newmarket.ca/ChooseLocal for more info.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Town has been continuously adapting our business practices in alternative ways so that we can continue to serve the community during these challenging times. For more information on how to access these services, residents can call our Customer Service associates from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 905-895-5193 or by emailing [email protected]. For after-hours service, please call 905-895-5193 and press 3.

COVID-19 Resources:
For more information on the what’s open and closed in Newmarket, visit newmarket.ca/reopen
For more information on COVID-19 in York Region, visit york.ca/covid19 or ontario.ca/coronavirus