Hamilton has lifted its COVID-19 emergency declaration, becoming just the latest municipality in the Greater Toronto Area to do so.
The City of Hamilton has been under a municipal emergency order since March 17, 2020.
But on Tuesday morning, Mayor Fred Eisenberger formally notified the province of the order’s termination.
The move comes one day after Toronto terminated its emergency declaration. That declaration had been in effect for 777 days.
“While COVID-19 remains a serious concern requiring ongoing efforts and vigilance, the City of Hamilton’s efforts in fighting COVID-19 have put Hamilton in a position where our emergency declaration can be terminated,” Eisenberger said in a news release. “It is important we remember that COVID-19 will be a part of our lives moving forward, and our work to help people get vaccinated and to support our economic recovery must continue. I want to thank our city staff for their dedication and resiliency throughout this emergency period for continuing to deliver municipal services that residents count on. I also want to thank Hamilton residents across our community for their hard work and ongoing support.”
As a result of Hamilton’s decision to terminate its emergency declaration several changes are slated to take place, including the resumption of in-person city council meetings on a hybrid basis as of May 25.
The mandatory masking requirement for city staff will also be lifted as of May 25, though workers in some high-risk settings will still be mandated to wear a mask under provincial legislation.
