Milton Issues COVID-19 Update

The Town of Milton’s Strategic Management Team (SMT) updated Council on the Town’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Town’s initial  focus and immediate actions have been on the safety of staff and residents, continuity of essential services and providing for the community’s needs.  The Town’s Crisis Management Team (CMT) is monitoring the situation and reassessing the Town’s response on a daily basis.  They’re also in consultation with Halton Region Public Health and various Town departments as the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve,

To date, CMT has implemented many actions including, but not limited to:

• Declaration of a State of Emergency;
• Closure of all Town facilities and park amenities;
• Additional safety measures and protocols in all aspects of the Town’s operations and service delivery;
• Financial assistance with respect to property taxes and development charge indexing;
• Revisions to the Town’s by-law enforcement to focus on safety-related issues;
• Maintenance of essential services and related staffing in a fiscally responsible manner.

All facilities have been closed and all recreation programs and theatre shows have been cancelled since March 17, 2020. Due to these closures and cancellations, the difficult decision was made in early April to temporarily place approximately 544 part-time, casual and seasonal employees on Emergency Leave or defer their start dates until further notice. The Town of Milton is committed to providing eligible staff with the support they need to access the financial relief programs offered by the federal government.

The Town continues to plan carefully through the pandemic to protect and maintain the financial stability of the organization.  The most significant financial impact to the Town has been the loss of revenue associated with the closure of facilities and programs. A portion of this impact can be mitigated with reductions in the associated costs. Staff will continue to evaluate further opportunities as part of the planning for the balance of the year and will be reporting to Council with updates, reports and the regular variance reporting program.