Municipality of Lambton Shores

COVID-19 Update, June 10, 2020

Please continue to watch for frequent updates on our website, Facebook and Twitter accounts to keep you informed of what is happening in Lambton Shores during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Message from the Mayor

Hello everyone,

To be clear…

I love our community, I love supporting local business, I love the beach excitement, and I love socializing at our local establishments…but…now is still not the time. The Province has moved to the second stage of openings throughout much of Ontario, but like the GTA to the east, and Windsor-Essex to the south, Lambton is still in Stage 1. 

I cannot imagine anyone wants Lambton Shores to move forward more than I do…but it is still not our time. As both Mayor and Warden, I have talked with both our members of Provincial Parliament, and have offered any and all information that will help the Province to move Lambton along the path to re-opening. I believe “our numbers” are good, and I know we have each worked hard to follow provincial guidelines aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19. I am optimistic that as early as next Monday we may have good news for our area.

If you are reading this message as someone looking to visit our beautiful community, please know that our restaurant patios, beaches and most summer activities are still shut down. Please be patient, we will welcome you soon.

If you are reading this message as one of our ambassadors, business owners or community members, stay strong and remain positive. The start to our summer season this year is unprecedented. We will recover and we are confident that we will be able to welcome summer and all that comes with it. For the time being, our beach remains closed. We are working very closely with our partners to ensure that the reopening is coordinated and safe for all sunseekers. There will be opportunities to view the sunsets this year!

As if the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 has not challenged us enough, within the past two weeks it has become evident that there is a significant outbreak of gypsy moth caterpillars affecting the northern areas of Lambton Shores. The caterpillars are defoliating trees in the Pinery, Conservancy, and County forests and also affecting nearby private properties. Enquiries through the Ministry of Natural Resources indicate that this is a cyclical pest, and that these caterpillars have hatched from egg masses laid last year. I understand that the feeding will finish this month and that tree damage may not be fatal, but clearly the caterpillars are impacting the enjoyment of our properties due to the irritation and mess from their droppings. The Municipality is not aware of any control action being planned by the large land stewards, but I understand that some private property owners have taken measures to control the pest on their own property.

Information related to the gypsy moth is available online. A good local resource is the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority website. The website contains a number of recommendations for dealing with the caterpillars, and residential property owners wanting to take action to protect their own trees and landscape may wish to consider any of these recommended control measures. I would like to point out that I have talked with a number of residents that feel “someone needs to do something” to control the pest, and others that are equally committed to let nature run its course. Please remember that these are trying times for all of us, and as neighbours we need to respect the viewpoint that others may hold.

I touched on this in last week’s message, but I cannot stress enough to remember to be kind to others. I recognize that COVID related challenges are different for everyone. For some, it is the loss of income, the inability to connect with friends, the postponement of a much anticipated event, or even the loss of loved ones. In these times, with so much out of our control, we can control how we treat one another. Please remember this, as we continue to navigate these uncertain times.

Stay healthy, safe and positive.

Mayor Bill

What Is Changing This Friday?

The Province has announced that it is easing its restrictions in most parts of the province on Friday, June 12 ^th . Lambton County, including Lambton Shores, is NOT included in the easing of restrictions.

Lambton County will remain in Stage 1 until the Province announces a change.  At the beginning of each week, the government will provide an update on the ongoing assessment of these regions, and whether they are ready to move into Stage 2 at the end of the week.

However, there are a few changes that were announced this week that do apply to Lambton Shores.

 

Beginning Friday, the limit on social gatherings has been increased to 10 individuals.  People must still practice physical distancing, by keeping at least two metres away from others outside of their direct household. Lambton Public Health has further recommendations in their June 10th News Release .

Also included in the change is the ability for places of worship to reopen. In order to ensure the safety of worshippers, attendance must be limited to 30 per cent of building capacity and practicing physical distancing.

We will also see the gradual reopening of child care centres across the province with strict public health measures in place, including to limit operational capacity. 

 

There is a lot of fantastic information on the Reopening Ontario website.

Lambton Public Health

The best place to access reliable health information

For reliable up-to-date information on COVID-19 visit the Lambton Public Health Page.

Updates for Lambton Shores Residents

Please visit our COVID-19 Information Hub for up-to-date information on municipal services. You will find links to information for community and business supports. You will also find reliable COVID-19 information sources.

Mulch

Mulch is now available at our Compost site for Lambton Shores' residents during the site’s regular operating hours of Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please bring your own shovel and container as you will have to load your own mulch. We ask that you follow the direction of the site operator, be patient and respectful to everyone onsite as we continue to practice physical distancing by allowing only one vehicle in at a time. Note: Compost will not be available at this time.

Lambton Public Health Telephone Survey

Lambton Public Health will be conducting a COVID-19 related telephone survey to randomly selected adults in Lambton County in the coming weeks. Ipsos Public Affairs will be completing the calls on behalf of Lambton Public Health and calling from a 416 area code. For more information on this survey .

Things To Do

Although physical distancing and gathering restrictions remain in place, there are still ways to participate in community activities! Visit the links below for more information. Please visit the Lambton Shores events page as additional virtual (and non-virtual) activities become added.

The Province of Ontario is encouraging increased COVID-19 testing. For those who wish, testing site information can be found by visiting Lambton Public Health’s website .

Stop the Spread Business Information Line

Businesses who have questions about closures of at-risk workplaces or how emergency measures impact their business or employment can call the Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659. Help is available from Monday to Sunday, from 8:30 a.m.―5:00 p.m.

Supporting Local Businesses

Many other local businesses are adapting operations to continue to serve the Lambton Shores community. The  Grand Bend and Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism  has compiled a list of Chamber member business information. Other business listings can be found online through the  Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership  and the  Forest BIA . Please connect directly with businesses to confirm availability and services offered.  

Tourism Sarnia-Lambton Local Businesses Page

For local restaurants visit  Shoreline ToGo .

To find out more about local business services and hours visit  Shop Lambton Map .

COVID-19 Enforcement

Will I get a ticket?

You could. All measures or restrictions are in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Now isn’t the time to test these orders.

We encourage everyone to voluntarily comply with all Provincial Emergency Orders which are short-term restrictions. Our preferred method to deal with contraventions are through education, awareness and compliance. However, OPP or Municipal Law Enforcement officers will apply discretion on whether to launch any enforcement actions such as:



Complaints for less serious incidents can be reported online at opp.ca/reporting or by calling the OPP non-emergency line at 1-888-310-1122. 

Staying in Touch

While offices may be closed to the public, municipal staff are still available by telephone or email. To reach us, visit our Staff Directory.