City of Toronto welcomes the public and office staff back to fully reopened City buildings
Mayor John Tory and City Manager Chris Murray officially reopened City Hall and welcomed the public back to all City buildings as well as City office staff who have been working remotely during the pandemic. The safe reopening of City Hall and other City buildings is another sign of the progress the City of Toronto has made confronting COVID-19 and helping residents get vaccinated. As of March 17, approximately 88.9 per cent of all Toronto residents 12 and over have received two doses, with 91.5 per cent having gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 64.5 per cent of eligible residents have received a third dose.
In addition to in-person counter services, which reopened on February 22, other public areas of City Hall, North York Civic Centre, Scarborough Civic Centre, Etobicoke Civic Centre, York Civic Centre and East York Civic Centre have also reopened to the public today. More information is available on the City’s website: www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-reopening-city-hall-and-civic-centres-for-counter-services/. Office workers, representing approximately 20 per cent of the City’s workforce, quickly transitioned to remote work at the start of the pandemic, while approximately 80 per cent of City staff continued to deliver essential and critical services on-site.
The Toronto sign will be lit up in blue tonight – as it has almost every night of this pandemic – to recognize our frontline heroes, to thank them for getting us to this point, and to celebrate the reopening that is now underway.
In addition to the reopening of City buildings to the public and staff returning to City work locations, City Council and committee meetings will transition to a hybrid model starting with the General Government and Licensing committee meeting on Tuesday, March 22. Members of Council will have the option to attend meetings in-person or remotely. The public will also be able to choose to attend and make deputations either in person or virtually. More information is available on the City’s website: www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-council-and-committee-meetings-transitioning-to-a-hybrid-model-with-open-public-galleries-starting-march-22/.
Following the provincial guidance on face masks, the City has lifted masking requirement for visitors in most City facilities, including City Hall and civic centres. Read more on the City’s website: www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-following-provincial-guidance-to-remove-most-face-mask-requirements-as-of-march-21/. As per provincial regulations, masks will continue to be mandatory in high-risk and congregate settings including on public transit, in long-term care and retirement homes, health-care settings and shelters.
The health and safety of residents, businesses and City staff remain key priorities in the reopening plans. All provincial, public health and occupational health and safety regulations and guidelines will be followed. As provincial, public health and occupational health and safety regulations and guidelines evolve, information about services that continue to be impacted by COVID-19 will be posted on the COVID-19: Changes to City Services webpage: www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/affected-city-services/.