COVID-19
The City of Fort Saskatchewan is monitoring the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Alberta. The City is taking the following steps and continues to revise services in these unprecedented circumstances.
Alberta's Relaunch Strategy
Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy puts safety first while gradually reopening businesses, resuming activities and getting people back to work.
Stage 1 in the Fort
The City has approved control measures that can be put in place to reopen some amenities allowed in Stage 1.
At this time, services for the following have been appropriately adapted to meet the Stage 1 guidelines:
- Basketball courts
- Golf Course
- Lions Campground
- Playgrounds
- Skatepark
- Tennis and Pickleball courts
Users must follow the guidelines posted at each site:
- Please follow all Alberta Health Orders.
- Wash your hands at home before and after visiting a playground.
- Carry and use hand sanitizer while visiting the playground.
- Keep at least 2 metres distance from other users who are not from your household.
- Do not visit a playground/skatepark if you or any member of your household has any symptoms of COVID-19.
- Consider returning at another time if the area is crowded.
Check out the Relaunching Sports, Playgrounds and Open Spaces poster for more information
We must continue to be vigilant to keep our community safe
- Practice physical distancing (two metres apart)
- If you cannot maintain physical distancing, wear a non-medical mask
- Avoid touching commonly touched surfaces, such as rails
- Stay home if you are sick or displaying any symptoms of COVID-19
- Indoor gatherings of over 15 people remain prohibited
- Outdoor gatherings of less than 50 people where physical distancing of 2m can be maintained are now permitted
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Closures |
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Facilities The City's Culture and Recreation facilities are CLOSED indefinitely. Facility closures include:
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City Programs and Memberships |
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All monthly and annual facility memberships will be suspended during the closure. If you wish to request a refund, please contact the facility as administration staff are available to answer your questions. Summer Programs UpdateOutdoor summer camps are included in Phase 1 of Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy. Registered outdoor fitness classes are set to start on June 1st. Registration will open online starting Monday, May 25th via GoLeisure. Classes will take place at West River’s Edge and Taurus Field to allow for physical distancing; 2m separation between each participant and between participants and the instructor. All participants must arrive prepared for class as no change rooms or equipment will be provided. Too limit exposure, participants will be asked to arrive 10 minutes before the start of class and to leave right after. For the safety of everyone, each participant will be asked screening questions about their health and if they have travelled outside of country. If it rains, classes will be cancelled. Classes are (full descriptions are available on GoLeisure):
For participants currently registered in cancelled classes there are several options:
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Community Supports |
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Community Wellness To help residents through this difficult time, we have added a list of activities that might help pass the time. Check out our Community Wellness page Community Support List We have also compiled a list of Community Support information for residents, including information on counselling, family support, grocery delivery and pickup, and more. |
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| Essential Services | ||||
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Essential services are public services, if interrupted, would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the public. These services are also necessary to the maintenance and administration of the rule of law and public security. The intent of this list is to provide general guidance to business owners and operators. It is not meant to be exhaustive. |
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Financial Support |
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Government Supports Anyone experiencing financial challenges is encouraged to access provincial and federal supports. The Alberta Government is providing financial support to Albertans. Canadian workers and businesses can also access support outlined in Canada’s Economic Response Plan. |
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Local Businesses |
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| For our local business community, we have created a COVID19 Resources for Businesses page and will continually update it as more information becomes available. | ||||
| Online Services | ||||
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We recommend calling before visiting any City administration building to see if we can assist you over the phone or online. To enhance social distancing, you can access the following City services online:
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| Reporting, Violations and Fines | ||||
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All complaints regarding violations to the public health orders must be submitted online. Public Health Inspectors will review and then dispatch the appropriate enforcement agency. Municipal Enforcement Services will respond to calls for service and incidents to seek voluntary compliance of all public health orders related to COVID-19 and if needed issue a fine. Tips Sheets: |
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| Resources on COVID-19 | ||||
Get your facts from reliable sites:
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| Shell Theatre | ||||
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At the Shell Theatre, we are doing our best to work with the artists and groups to re-schedule events for when it is safe to do so. All shows that were scheduled up to June 30th have either been cancelled or postponed as noted on our Shell Theatre Events page. If your event has been postponed If your show has been cancelled Shell Theatre Staff |
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Connecting Families |
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Support Lines |
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Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) is opening a support line to connect with residents through the COVID-19 pandemic. If individuals have questions on how to access resources or find themselves navigating supports that are unfamiliar to them, they can call the line to discuss their needs. The support line is 780-992-6281 and will be available starting Tuesday, April 14 during the following hours until further notice:
You can request a wellness check through the support line or by emailing FCSSinfo@fortsask.ca. If you are feeling isolated or concerned for someone who is, let us know and we will call and check in. FCSS is also available to discuss mental health and emotional wellness. Family Violence Supports
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| Taxes & Utilities | ||||
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To provide relief to those residents and businesses that are experiencing financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, City Council has approved the following changes to late fees and penalties on Taxes and Utilities. Taxes City Council approved to extend the penalty free period for late payments of municipal property taxes due June 30, 2020. More information on Property Tax Payments Penalties in 2020 The City is pleased to now be offering credit card payments for tax accounts through PaySimply. Utilities Late fees and penalties will be waived on utility bills (water, sewer and waste) for the 90 days (March 23 – June 22, 2020). We encourage all of our customers to keep accounts in good standing. We will continue to send the utility bills each month. Please contact the City’s utility billing staff at 780-992-6200 or by email at utilityclerk@fortsask.ca as soon as possible if you need to make these arrangements. More information on Utility Payments during the COVID-19 response |
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| Toilet Paper and Non-Flushables | ||||
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A reminder to residents: Please do not flush facial tissues, paper towel, pre-packaged disinfecting wipes, flushable wipes or latex gloves down the toilet. Flushing products other than toilet paper can cause serious clogs in your home plumbing and city infrastructure. More information on sewer backups We ask residents to follow our procedures for curbside collection, of recycling organics and garbage. |
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Transit |
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Fares Temporarily Suspended Refunds and Reimbursements Local Service Reduced and Saturday Added Download the Passio GO app for access to real-time bus tracking, route and schedule information as well as transit alerts.
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Waste |
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Fort Saskatchewan residents experiencing an increase in household waste due to the COVID-19 situation, are encouraged to call the Waste Hotline (780-992-6218) to explore their options. Those who are sorting their waste and having difficulty with the current service levels may be provided with additional provisions, on a case by case basis. Please be advised that the Transfer Station does not have the ability to waive fees. You must call the Waste Hotline to be considered for limited free drop-off of materials. |
Additional Resources
Fort Saskatchewan COVID-19 Relaunch Report