With the announcement that communities across the Province will be moving into Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen, City of London staff are preparing to expand services in accordance with the new regulations.
Changes to services will be in effect as of June 30. All Middlesex-London Health Unit guidelines and Provincial regulations, including mask requirements, adhering to capacity limits and physical distancing, will apply at all times.
Changes to City of London services include the following:
Recreation and Sport:
In addition to programs and services that were permitted during Step 1 of the Roadmap to Reopen, the following are changes that will be made to recreation and sport amenities and programs:
- Sport playing surfaces will be lined for game play
- Wading pools will open on July 5
- Outdoor Special Events will be permitted at 25% capacity after July 2
- Picnic sites will now be open for groups of up to 25 people
- Outdoor Neighbourhood Playground programs will be permitted starting July 5. These programs are free, but you must pre-register online or by phone
Residents can register for available recreation programs and picnic sites at www.london.ca/PlayYourWay or by calling 519-661-5575.
City Clerk’s Office:
As of June 30, expanded in-person services available at City Hall will include Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act requests, burial permits, bus tickets, passes, commissioner of oath, lottery, animal licenses and general information. Appointments are encouraged, however, please book an appointment to ensure prompt service availability with the City Clerk’s Office by calling 519-661-4530 prior to your visit.
Appointments for a marriage licence can be made with the City Clerk’s Office by calling 519-661-4530 or emailing marriage@london.ca prior to your visit. Licences will only be issued to eligible individuals who are not currently subject to a quarantine order.
Civil marriage ceremonies will not be offered at this time.
The option to provide input remotely for Public Participation Meetings will continue. Pre-registration is required for individuals wishing to participate remotely by calling 519-661-2489, extension 7100 or by emailing PPMClerks@london.ca.
Public Participation Meetings before Standing Committees:
There is no change to the current process for Public Meetings, and City Hall will remain closed to in-person meeting participation.
As a reminder, anyone wishing to speak at a Public Participation Meeting can do so virtually, using Zoom online or by phone. Details include:
- Members of the public are required to pre-register to speak at the public participation meeting. Registration requests must be submitted by no later than 9:00 a.m. the day of the meeting. Speakers will be limited to five minutes of verbal presentation.
- Registered speakers will be given the information to connect to the Zoom meeting, which will include instructions to also participate by phone only.
- Pre-register by calling 519-661-2489, extension 7100 or by emailing PPMClerks@london.ca. Please indicate the meeting and item you wish to speak to when pre-registering. Directions on how to participate will be provided upon registration.
- Members of the public can also participate by submitting written communications to the committee or to Members of Council prior to the meeting.
Pre-registration is only required for those wishing to speak at a Public Participation meeting. Standing Committee meetings can be viewed on the City of London’s website or YouTube.
Provincial Offences Court Administration
There are no changes to services currently offered through the Provincial Offences Court Administration Office.
As a reminder, this office is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday except for holidays to process payments and filings; however, we encourage you to contact us remotely if possible, through one of the following:
- Online Payments: www.paytickets.ca
- Email: POAAdmin@london.ca
- Mail: Ontario Court of Justice, 824 Dundas Street, London, ON N5W 5R1
- Phone: (519) 661-1882
- Fax: (519) 661-1944
Court proceedings are currently taking place remotely; do not attend the Courthouse in person. Please refer to your Notice or contact the Court Office for details.
Life Stabilization (Ontario Works):
There are no additional changes to the services that are currently being offered.
As a reminder, residents can access drop-in Ontario Works services Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., including cheque pick-up at Citi Plaza, cheque encashment stamps and emergency services and drop-in supports at the following locations:
- Citi Plaza
- London East
- Northland Mall
- South London Community Centre
- Westmount Shopping Centre
Wherever possible, clients are encouraged to email a copy of their documents to their caseworker or drop them off at one of the drop box locations or to register online for a MyBenefits account to communicate with and provide information to their caseworker. For those with no fixed address, monthly cheque pick-up at Citi Plaza will take place the last two business days of the month between 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and those who have recently applied will be informed of when cheques are available for pick up. Individuals are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit whenever possible.
Broader impacts of the Step Two category include a limit of up to 25 people for outdoor social gatherings and organized public events; outdoor dining with up to 6 people per table, with exceptions for larger households; and modified measures for local businesses including restaurants and retail stores, among others.
As restrictions continue to ease through the Provincial reopening framework, the City reminds residents of the importance of following all health precautions to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in the community. Please continue to wear a mask or face covering in indoor public spaces and in outdoor public spaces when social distancing is not possible.
City of London Municipal By-Law Enforcement Officers will continue to work with partners to educate the public and ensure compliance with these regulations.
For a full list of City of London services that are currently available and the impacts of COVID-19, please continue to visit www.london.ca/covid-19. This site will be updated as further changes are made to municipal services.