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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept. 25, 2020

King to begin offering limited in-person services

Ice pad at Trisan Centre in Schomberg to re-open with conditions

King Township will start re-opening some facilities and offering in-person services over the next several weeks in a cautious, phased approach, subject to demand and in conjunction with current public health protocols.

The ice pad at the Trisan Centre in Schomberg is set to first re-open on Monday, September 28, while the ice pad at the Dr. William Laceby Nobleton Community Centre and Arena in Nobleton is anticipated to open mid-October, subject to demand.

“We recognize the community needs to have recreational opportunities for play, fitness and overall physical and mental health and well-being,” said Mayor Steve Pellegrini. “That being said, there will be strict protocols in place to protect both participants and staff. I am also very pleased that enhanced curbside pickup and by appointment in-person services are being introduced.”

The expansion of Trisan Centre services and programs, such as fitness programs, the walking track and curling, are to be introduced sometime in October/November, subject to adequate demand.

Beginning on Wednesday, October 7, and every Wednesday thereafter, limited in-person services will be available by appointment only. The public will be served in-person at the King Township Heritage and Cultural Centre at 2920 King Road, King City. Only commissioning services (i.e. foreign pension forms, statutory declarations, affidavits) and the issuance of marriage licenses will be available. Priority will be given to King Township residents while non-residents will be accommodated subject to demand and availability. To schedule an appointment, call 905-833-4069 or email clerks@king.ca.

Enhanced curbside pickup of Garbage Bag Tags and Blue/Green Bins will be offered as of Wednesday, October 7th as well. This service will be offered at King Township Public Library branches through their curbside pickup program. Phased openings for some King Township Public Library branches are anticipated mid-October. Please visit www.kinglibrary.ca for further details and locations.

The Municipal Centre at 2585 King Rd. will remain closed for the remainder of the year.

King continues to offer a full suite of online services and we encourage citizens to use these contactless options when possible. Contactless payment options include paying bills via telephone banking, pre-authorized payment, cheque by mail or drop box as alternatives to paying a bill in person. To see what services we currently offer online, visit http://onlineservices.king.ca.

Any indoor facility used by the public will be subject to York Region’s requirements of mandatory face coverings or masks. Caution and prioritization of safety is at the forefront of all decisions being made.

These openings and/or any proposed expansion of programs will be continually monitored and assessed throughout the fall, based on the status of COVID and provincial and public health direction.

Health and safety protocols will be in place for any in-person services and programs, including:

• A new COVID-19 online screening tool that helps determine the likelihood of a person’s exposure to the COVID-19 virus. The screening tool complements other health and safety measures, and will be available online effective Monday, September 28 and will be a requirement for members of the public entering a public facility (accessible at http://screening.king.ca).
• Wearing a face covering such as a mask that covers the nose, mouth and chin;
• Sanitizing hands;
• Physical distancing;

The government is strongly recommending everyone to continue following public health advice, including practising physical distancing with those outside your household or social circle (up to 10 people), wearing a face covering when physical distancing is a challenge or where it is mandatory to do so, staying home when ill, and washing your hands frequently and thoroughly.

For more information, please visit our King Township COVID-19 Information Hub for all the latest updates at http://covid19.king.ca.

Media contact: Jason Ballantyne, Communications Officer | Phone: 416-559-5093 | E-mail: jballantyne@king.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 14, 2020

King ready to start Phase 2, Contract 3 of Nobleton sewer works

Project will protect and preserve source drinking water

King Township is about to start the third contract of the second phase of providing infrastructure for residents to connect to the municipal sewer system in Nobleton.

Phase 2, Contract 3 sanitary sewer and concurrent works in Nobleton will take place in and around the following roadways: Sheardown Drive, Dobson Court, Cain Court, Hazelbury Drive, Chamberlain Court, Russell Snider Drive, Witherspoon Way, Mactaggart Drive, Holden Drive, Robb Drive and McCutcheon Avenue affecting approximately 200 homes.

Weather permitting, work is scheduled to start later this month and is expected to take about 27 months to complete.

The entire project is estimated to cost just under $10 million and will be funded from the Township’s wastewater reserve. The estimated cost for each residence to hook up in this area is just under $26,000.

King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini said the project is another example of King’s commitment to not only maintaining but improving its municipal infrastructure system.

“We’ve just completed 35 kilometres of paving work around the Township,” Pellegrini said. “While that work was important and very visible, we have to continue to maintain and improve the infrastructure people don’t see, including our water and wastewater systems.”

Ward 2 Councillor David Boyd said the work is important in order to protect and preserve source drinking water and the environment as a whole.

“I am pleased that we are about to start work on a major municipal infrastructure investment,” said Boyd. “I know many residents are looking forward to the benefits associated with having a modern and reliable sewage disposal treatment system.”

Residents who have any questions about the project can visit

http://majorprojects.king.ca/ or contact ServiceKing at 905-833-5321 or serviceking@king.ca 

Media contact Jason Ballantyne, communications officer | Phone: 905-833-4573 | Email: jballantyne@king.ca MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 17, 2020

Pop-up patios will be popping up on Main Street in Schomberg this August

King supports local businesses expand their patio space

Pop-Up Patios have been installed on Main Street in Schomberg in front of local dining establishments, including at Leonardo’s Pizzeria and Smoke House and Grackle Coffee. The patios expand outdoor dining space while supporting physical distancing within Schomberg’s historic commercial core.

King Township, in partnership with Central Counties Tourism, have provided the patios. The primary intent of the Patio Pilot Program is to activate Main Street, support local business and enable physical distancing to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for residents and visitors.

“We are delighted to be creating such an innovative use of public space,” said King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini. “In these COVID times these patios will provide additional outdoor dining capacity for the community, as well as stimulating the economic recovery of our local businesses and adding to the charm of Main Street.”

In light of ongoing COVID-19 requirements, Township staff supports improving physical distancing within the downtown core. The Township has been working with the Main Street Business Management Committee to discuss the best way to support local businesses without compromising the safety of patrons, residents and visitors and has been actively supporting Main Street businesses through the http://www.schombergmainstreet.ca website and Facebook page @mainstreetschomberg.

“As new owners of Leonardo’s Pizzeria, we are very thankful for the support of King Township as they have been very helpful to support our family’s initiative with our new business,” said George Lindner of Leonardo’s Pizzeria and Smoke House. “Our goal is to provide a premier product and to earn the support of our community through a dedicated and reliable service. I believe the Patio Program that has been initiated by King Township will result in an exceptional customer experience and will allow for much needed access to outdoor dining especially during these challenging times”

The pop-up patios were installed on Fri. Aug. 14 and Mon. Aug. 17th and will remain in place through to Oct. 31. Measuring 18 feet long by seven feet deep, each will occupy approximately one on-street parking space and add 130 square feet of patio space.

For those requiring parking for a period of less than three hours, ample street parking will remain along Main Street and Dr. Kay Drive. If you are looking for parking for more than three hours, you can make use of the Green P lot beside the Post Office or park in the Parks Depot/Old Arena parking lot on Western Avenue. King Township will assess the Patio Pilot Project in the fall to see if there is value and benefit of reintroducing the patio program next year.

The businesses on Main Street are looking forward to seeing many residents and visitors out, enjoying dining and shopping safely and socially distanced. Please use hand sanitizer often and remember masks are mandatory while shopping indoors.

For more information please visit http://www.schombergmainstreet.ca

Media contact: Jason Ballantyne, Communications Officer | Phone: 416-559-5093 | E-mail: jballantyne@king.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 4, 2020

King cancels in-person summer camp program

Modified camp experiences in the works

King Township has made the difficult decision that—given the current and uncertain health climate related to COVID 19—offering a traditional, in-person camp experience for children and youth will not be a safe or feasible option this summer.

“Summer camps in King Township have been a pillar in our community for over two decades. Last year, King Township welcomed close to 3,000 children in our summer camp programs,” said Mayor Steve Pellegrini. “We have weighed all of our options, and we simply cannot allow children to congregate together in the same place without putting the health and safety of our participants and staff at risk. This truly was a difficult decision, but it was the right decision.”

Township staff will be contacting each of the families who have registered for this year’s summer camp program and full refunds will be processed over the next few weeks.

A Modified Summer Camp Experience

As an alternative to King’s traditional summer camps offerings, there will be two new options for children to participate in this summer.

Option #1 – King’s “Summer Camp in a Box” Program

The Township will be offering a summer camp alternative to bring camp home this summer with King Township’s Camp in a Box program. This program is designed to keep kids learning and engaged with small interactive activities and crafts. Each box will be put together with all required supplies and easyto-follow instructions to help recreate several fun camp activities. The boxes will be available for curbside pickup at several municipal facilities around the Township. Quantities will be limited and preference will be given to residents of King Township.

Option #2 – Virtual Summer Camps

The Township will work together with several service providers to offer a wide range of virtual summer camps programming options. Topics and themes of these virtual camps will vary and specialty camps will be available to suit the individual interest of each camper.

Registration details for both King’s Summer Camp in a Box Program and Virtual Summer Camp programming options will be published later this month. 

Media contact | Jason Ballantyne, Communications Officer | Phone: 416-559-5093 | E-mail: jballantyne@king.ca

MEDIA RELEASE June 1, 2020

King joins Digital Main Street’s ShopHERE to support local businesses

Program offers King businesses opportunity to sell online

To help support our local small businesses, today King Township is joining the ShopHERE powered by Google program, with a goal of helping local businesses sell online this year.

ShopHERE, powered by Google, which started in the City of Toronto, helps independent businesses and artists build a digital presence and minimize the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, Google Canada announced a $1 million investment to enable Digital Main Street to expand the program to municipalities across the country, offering more businesses and artists the opportunity to build their own online store. Because the opportunities afforded by the digital economy are still limited if people don’t have the right skills, Google’s investment will also help more small businesses and artists receive the digital skills training needed to participate in the digital economy.

The program is now available to small businesses in King Township. Local businesses and artists can apply for the program at www.economicking.ca/shophere/ to get their online store built at no-cost.

“Ever since the pandemic started, we’ve been communicating with and advocating for ways to help our local businesses navigate through the uncertainty,” said King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini. “We’re pleased that Google Canada has launched a service that helps them do just that. Adding one more business support tool to the toolkit is a great thing for our local businesses. Economic Development staff will be reaching out to businesses to make them aware of and encourage them to apply.”

“Since Google began its business in Canada nearly 20 years ago, we’ve been focused on helping Canadian businesses of all sizes to unlock the prosperity of the internet,” says Sabrina Geremia, VP and Country Manager, Google Canada. “We remain optimistic and more determined than ever that technology is the toolkit for a world of opportunities. Our one million dollar investment will go towards expanding the ShopHERE program nationally, so we can help small businesses across Canada navigate the challenges ahead.” 

About Google Canada

Google Canada has offices in Waterloo, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa with over 1,500 Canadian Google employees working on teams across Engineering, AI Research, Sales and Marketing.  

About Digital Main Street

Digital Main Street is a program that helps main street businesses achieve digital transformation. The program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and our Digital Service Squad, a team of street-level team members who help main street businesses grow and manage their operations through technology.

Digital Main Street was created by the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) with direct support from the City of Toronto. DMS is also supported by a group of strategic business partners, including Google, MasterCard, Microsoft and Shopify.

About ShopHERE powered by Google

The ShopHERE program offers businesses and artists the opportunity to build a digital presence and minimize the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. ShopHERE is supported by a number of community and corporate partners, including Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, Shopify, Google, Mastercard, Microsoft, Magnet, and The Schulich School of Business - York University. 

Media contact | Jason Ballantyne, Communications Officer | Phone: 416-559-5093 | E-mail: jballantyne@king.ca

MEDIA RELEASE  May 4 2020

King’s Economic Development staff are here to help businesses

“As the province takes a measured and staged approach to fully re-open for business, the Township will be there to provide guidance and support for our businesses and local economy to be more resilient and stronger than ever,” said Mayor Pellegrini.

To help the Township identify concerns and challenges, and to assist with developing a plan moving forward, Mayor Pellegrini will be hosting a Virtual Business Roundtable. The Roundtable will include a cross-section of local business leaders, King Chamber of Commerce members, and elected officials from other levels of government. Hon. Deb Schulte (MP, King-Vaughan), Hon. Stephen Lecce (MPP, King-Vaughan) and Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria (MPP, Brampton South) will be participating in the roundtable.

In the months to come, council, staff and local businesses will continue to work together, including as participants on the York Region Business Recovery Support Partnership initiative. This collaboration, led by York Region’s Economic Strategy Division, with local business and economy stakeholders are joining forces to coordinate a regional response to COVID-19. The goals of the partnership include economic impact assessment, streamlined business advisory support and business community communications.

“While all levels of government have taken swift and unprecedented actions and measures to support local businesses adapt and recover, we collectively are always looking and listening for ways to do more,” said Mayor Pellegrini.

Attachments: King Support Measures Info-Graphic (2 pages)

Media contact | Jason Ballantyne, Communications Officer | Phone: 416-559-5093 | E-mail: jballantyne@king.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 30, 2020

King ensuring citizens and businesses stay informed

about COVID-19 relief measures from every level of government 

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, new relief measures for individuals and businesses are being announced daily.

Details regarding the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy were recently announced by the Federal Government. Businesses, non-profits and charities eligible for the wage subsidy include those who have experienced at least a 30% decrease in revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Iit is important to note that the number of employees they have does not factor into their eligibility. The Federal Government will cover 75% of the first $58,700 of an employee’s wage, up to $847 per week, which will be back-dated to March 15th, 2020.

The King Chamber of Commerce has been vocal about the need for an Emergency Agreement for all levels of government to streamline financial assistance and support programs to all small, medium and large businesses. To follow the Chamber’s position on COVID-19 and its support and resources, visit: King Chamber of Commerce Covid-19 Response.

“At a time like this, we have to all work together and support one another. I am pleased to see how our Federal and Provincial Governments are supporting Canadians. These programs need to be nimble and responsive and we are confident the financial relief and assistance will flow very quickly,” said Mayor Steve Pellegrini. “With the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy in place, I hope to see our businesses that have the means to do so top up the remaining 25% of their employee’s wages and hire back those workers who were laid off”.

The Provincial Government has announced updated guidance to help employers better understand their responsibilities and what is needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the job site. The update addresses sector topics including on-site sanitation, best practices in communicating roles, responsibilities, and health & safety policies, and techniques to enable greater distances between workers. 

“I am sending out regular updates through social media on the pandemic, and residents can also find a central hub of information on king.ca. This information is updated daily – sometimes hourly – as more and more programs are announced,” said Mayor Steve Pellegrini.

King Township has created a hub for local businesses to access crisis resources. This hub includes government relief programs, links to the six big bank financial relief measures, and even a list of free webinars to help businesses adapt to doing business during these challenging times.

“Right now, one of the greatest things King residents can do is support their local businesses by shopping local while physical distancing,” said Mayor Pellegrini. “Many of our local shops have rapidly changed their business model to serve our community. Every resident should visit the ShopKING banner link on King.ca to see what exceptional products are available, right here in King.”

Media contact Jason Ballantyne, Communications Officer Phone: 416-559-5093 E-mail: jballantyne@king.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 17, 2020

King continues taking action to keep people safe

The following statement was issued by King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini:

King Township supports the Ontario government’s declaration of an emergency and the subsequent closure of private schools, churches and faith-based settings, licensed childcare centres and bars and restaurants – except for those that can offer takeout or delivery. Our top priority is the health and safety of our citizens, staff and businesses. Our Council and staff are working closely with all levels of government to monitor the situation and take actions to protect our citizens, staff and businesses.

These include:

• Announced last Friday, the closure of all municipal facilities, including libraries, arenas, cultural centres and the Municipal Office.
• The cancellation of all March Break camps and other recreation programs • Set up our Emergency Operations Centre at the Municipal Centre
• We are supporting our employees by encouraging those who can work remotely to do so.

Our core services will continue. These include Fire and Emergency Services, water and wastewater, waste collection and roads. Many non-essential services are reduced or suspended. Citizens can still do business with King on our website at http://www.king.ca, by phone at 905-833- 5321 or by email at serviceking@king.ca.

We’re asking citizens to protect themselves and their loved ones from catching or spreading the virus in the following ways:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Sneeze and cough into your sleeve  
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth 
• Increase cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces like toilets, sink tap handles, doorknobs, countertops, etc. using regular household cleaners 
• Practice social distancing by avoiding any gatherings larger than 50 people and keeping at least six feet between yourself and others when in public 
• Stay home as much as possible

“I know this is a stressful time. I want King Township’s citizens to know that we are doing everything we can to stop the spread of the virus while maintaining our core services. King Township is a community of communities and I know we will help each other get through this global pandemic.” For more information about the Township’s COVID-19 response, please visit king.ca.

-Media contact Jason Ballantyne, Communications Officer Phone: 416-559-5093 E-mail: jballantyne@king.ca