Mayor Tom Mrakas

What a great 3 days!! Thanks to all the volunteers (residents and staff) that helped make Aurora’s popup clinic a success!!! And thanks to Danny for having delicious ice cream ready for everyone. It was great to see many of our residents were able to get their whole family vaccinated! Well done Aurora!!

I was both horrified and heartbroken to hear about the tragic discovery of the remains of 215 children buried on the Kamloops Indian Residential School grounds. Our condolences and prayers are extended to the families of the victims and to the Indigenous community. The Town of Aurora grieves with you. The flags at all Town facilities are flying at half-mast in memory of the tragic deaths and will fly at half-mast for 215 hours, one hour for each child found buried near the former school.

AURORA 6 new cases 25 active cases... YORK REGION 96 new cases 72.3% of the adult pop received at least one dose ONTARIO 1,033 new cases 69.7% of the adult pop received at least one dose CANADA 2,238 new cases 56.5% of the total pop received at least one dose For more (Aurora, Regional, Provincial, Federal) details visit the link below. http://www.mrakas.ca/covid19-update-may-31-2021/

Another beautiful day in Aurora for the 2nd day of the Pop Up clinic!!! There are still appointments available for anyone 12+ for Monday May 31st get your appointment and let’s get Aurora vaccinated!! York.ca/covid19vaccine

AURORA 5 new cases 22 active cases... YORK REGION 103 new cases 71.8% of the adult pop received at least one dose ONTARIO 1,057 new cases 68.7% of the adult pop received at least one dose CANADA 2,459 new cases 55.8% of the total pop received at least one dose For more (Aurora, Regional, Provincial, Federal) details visit the link below. http://www.mrakas.ca/covid19-update-may-30-2021/

What a beautiful morning as the Town Pop-Up vaccination clinic is starting today at the ACC... The volunteers are setting up for a weekend of getting Aurorans vaccinated and the ice cream truck is on hand providing free Ice cream to all those getting vaccinated!! Remember if you are 12+ (live, work or go to school in Aurora) and want a shot of Pfizer, there is still available appointments for Monday May 31st.. visit York.ca/COVID19vaccine

AURORA 4 new cases 23 active cases... YORK REGION 94 new cases 71.3% of the adult pop received at least one dose ONTARIO 1,273 new cases 67.8% of the adult pop received at least one dose CANADA 3,206 new cases 55.1% of the total pop received at least one dose For more (Aurora, Regional, Provincial, Federal) details visit the link below. http://www.mrakas.ca/covid19-update-may-29-2021/

The LDD caterpillars are destructive pests that feed on the leaves of trees. Starting Monday, May 31 the Town of Aurora will be providing residents with FREE burlap to wrap around the trunk of their infected trees. Residents can pick up the burlap pieces Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the JOC at 229 Industrial Parkway North.... Currently the LDD are in the caterpillar stage you can trap the caterpillars by wrapping burlap around the tree’s trunk at chest height, secure with a string or rope in the centre and fold the top half over the bottom half to form a bit of a ring; the caterpillars will seek refuge under the burlap bands, which can be checked regularly. Caterpillars can be removed and placed in a bucket of soapy water for a day or two before disposing of them. Aerial spraying is not an option as this needs to be done with precise timing prior to hatching, to be effective and can be dangerous to many other insects that are beneficial in the ecosystem. The LDD are not a poisonous insect but it’s recommended to wear gloves when removing the caterpillars as they may cause skin irritation or a rash. An antihistamine can provide relief Check out the video on how to protect your trees with burlap at https://youtu.be/oYf1F4-isRk For more information on LDD and how you can protect your trees visit aurora.ca/ldd

Don’t miss out as appointments are getting booked quickly for the additional day at Aurora’s Pop-Up clinic this Monday, May 31 ...Visit http://York.ca/covid19vaccine and get a Pfizer vaccine appointment for the whole family.

Great news!!! Starting Monday, residents 80 years old and up can start booking their appointment for a second dose on the province’s booking system as dose interval has been amended from four months to as short as 28 days, depending on supply

AURORA 1 new case 28 active cases... YORK REGION 62 new cases 70.8% of the adult pop received at least one dose ONTARIO 1,135 new cases 66.7% of the adult pop received at least one dose CANADA 2,969 new cases 54% of the total pop received at least one dose For more (Aurora, Regional, Provincial, Federal) details visit the link below. http://www.mrakas.ca/covid19-update-may-28-2021/

Joined Mayor Iain Lovatt on #CP24TONIGHT to discuss York Regions request to move the entire Province to Step 1 as of May 31 with Nick and Reshmi.

Today Regional Council discussed the motion moved by myself and seconded by Mayor Lovatt to have York Regional Council request the province consider entering Step 1 as of 12:01 am May 31, 2021. This is an important message to send the Province about the safe reopening of York Region. We agree that we need to continue to take a cautious approach to reopening, but need to ensure that that approach is one that is balanced and measured. Given that over 65% of the Province and over 70% of York Region residents are already vaccinated with their first dose, waiting until June 14th to move into Step 1, does not achieve that. I was glad to see that York Regional Council supported the motion on a vote of 18 -2. If you would like to view the entire motion, please visit the website below. #LeadershipThatGetsThingsDone

Great news!! Additional day added to Aurora Pop-Up clinic!!! 600 new appointments are now available for Pfizer on Monday, May 31 at the ACC for anyone 12 yrs of age & older who lives, works or attends school in Aurora... So if you haven’t got your vaccine yet or have been having difficulty getting an appointment now is your time to book an appointment for your family right here in Aurora. To book your appointment visit york.ca/covid19vaccine

Minister Stephen Lecce just announced that "March Break" will be postponed until the week of April 12.Minister Stephen Lecce just announced that "March Break" will be postponed until the week of April 12.

There have been a few questions forwarded to me from residents concerning the block wall that folks have seen being built at the site for the United Church rebuild. To address concerns, I thought I would take a moment to clarify. The wall is a temporary block wall that is part of the Site Alteration Permit that was issued for the soil burdening work. The block wall and excess soil will be removed once soil compaction is complete and the foundation construction will begin..I hope this helps explain the purpose of the wall and addresses the concerns that residents have had with regards to the temporary block wall.

AURORA 1 new cases 23 active cases... YORK REGION 121 new cases 1,015 active cases ONTARIO 1,072 new cases 13,486 vaccines administered CANADA 3,185 new cases For more (Aurora, Regional, Provincial, Federal) details visit the link below.

I would like to update everyone with information to the Police presence last night in the Murray/Richardson area. This was NOT a stabbing. YRP are investigating an assault that was reported as a stabbing. All of the involved parties are cooperative with the investigators. Injuries are considered non-life threatening.

Last night at Public Planning, Council heard an application for 25 and 29 George St. asking for approval of a 4 story, 34 unit building . To better understand context of this application, it is helpful to understand a little history. In 2015, an application for a 4-story building with 12 units at 29 George St. was unanimously approved. At that time, the feeling was this area was a good area for intensification due to its proximity to the downtown core. Last night’s applicatio...n was presented as an adjustment to an already approved application, however, the applicant was asking to increase from 12 units to 34. With the significance of this increase, Council felt this needed to be evaluated as a completely new application. While Council overall maintains this area is a good fit for intensification, the question always remains; how much do you intensify? As more intensification projects coming forward, we need to look at these applications in combination and not in isolation. For example, every time we see an application, we are told that a traffic study has been done and that the area can withstand the volume. Which may be true if we look at a single project, however, we need to look at the bigger picture and how multiple projects impact traffic, or add additional strain on our infrastructure to ensure that there is capacity for all projects anticipated for the area. Last night, we asked staff to look at this application in combination with the new United Church and the possible development at the old Tannery site to ensure it fits our vision for the Downtown and the Promenade in 10, 15, 20 years. Council agree that this type of intensification will bring more residents to our downtown and be a vital part of the revitalization of our downtown core in building a complete community, but it needs to be done right. Additionally, we regularly hear elected officials talk about needing more affordable housing, but we rarely see anything done. In fact, our Official Plan states in section 6.3 that it is the requirement of this plan that a min of 25% of all new residential development meet the definition of affordable housing. Based on this, people ask why we simply don’t force developments to include affordable units. Last night Council directed staff to enforce this requirement on this application and all applications moving forward. If we want to create affordable housing in our community, we need to utilize the tools available to us in our Official Plan. Finally, Council moved that this application come back to a future Public Planning meeting after the applicant had had the opportunity to work with staff to address the changes Council has asked for. This motion passed unanimously.

CASE NUMBERS - 13** new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (9x close contact, 4x under investigation) (age range: 7x 19 to 34, 6x 45 to 54)... - 62** active cases in Aurora - 472** resolved cases in Aurora - No active cases in Aurora Schools - No active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres - 2 open institutional outbreaks (16 cases at Kingsway Place Retirement Residence) (3 cases at Willows Estate Long Term Care Home) - 575** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 20 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 18,482** confirmed cases in York Region - 359 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 1,982 Total active cases in York Region - 16,132 resolved cases - 37269 Total vaccine doses administered in Ontario - 187,998 total cases (3,363 new); with 4,625 related fatalities: 160,526 resolved in Ontario: 61,401 total tests completed - 572,982 total cases (7,476 new); with 15,472 related fatalities (94 new); 484,583 resolved in Canada (last updated Dec 30) **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19

The Provincial government will continue to hold electricity prices to the off-peak rate of 8.5 cents until Feb. 22.The Provincial government will continue to hold electricity prices to the off-peak rate of 8.5 cents until Feb. 22.

I want to take a minute to thank our Town of Aurora operational team for their dedication and hard work through the holidays (including today) Staff did a great job getting things done, keeping our roads and sidewalks clear and safe. #AuroraProud #GettingThingsDone

2020 has been a truly challenging year. Despite all the difficulties we have faced, it has seen us all pull together in many different ways for the benefit of the community. As we face the unprecedented challenges of recovery, I look forward to continuing to work together to build a prosperous, engaged, thriving community for years to come. Happy new year to you and your families. ! Wishing you a healthy and happy 2021.

AURORA 4 new cases 24 active cases... YORK REGION 123 new cases 1,033 active cases ONTARIO 1,022 new cases 12,462 vaccines administered CANADA 2,677 new cases For more (Aurora, Regional, Provincial, Federal) details visit the link below.

CASE NUMBERS NOTE: No update on Friday, January 1 & Saturday January 2. Daily updates will continue on all other days - 10** new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update... (3x close contact, 1x institutional outbreak, 1x local transmission, 5x under investigation) (age range: 4x 19 to 34, 1x 35 to 44, 1x 45 to 54, 1x 55 to 64, 2x 65 to 79, 1x 80 and over) - 44** active cases in Aurora - 472** resolved cases in Aurora - 3 active cases in Aurora Schools (1x Aurora High School) (1x École élémentaire catholique Saint-Jean) (1x Highview Public School) - 2 active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres (2x Petit Bateau Before & After School Program) - 3 open institutional outbreaks (11 cases at Kingsway Place Retirement Residence) (1 case at Sunrise of Aurora) (1 case at Willows Estate Long Term Care Home) - 535** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 19 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 17,384** confirmed cases in York Region - 480 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 1,618 Total active cases in York Region - 15,409 resolved cases - 178,831 total cases (2,923 new); with 4,474 related fatalities: 153,799 resolved in Ontario: - 572,982 total cases (7,476 new); with 15,472 related fatalities (94 new); 484,583 resolved in Canada **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19 REGIONAL - York Region recorded a record number of daily cases at 480 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of 5 p.m.; this was expected following lower numbers reported December 26-28, lower test results and a high number of cases which came in last night following the dashboard being updated PROVINCIAL - The Ontario government has released an Ethical Framework for COVID-19 vaccine distribution which was developed in partnership with the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task. - Targeted Emergency child-care services are available for York Region school-aged children of eligible health care and front-line workers; applications for eligible essential workers is available at york.ca/childcare - The provincial government will not update the daily COVID-19 cases in Ontario on Friday, January 1; data for this date will be posted the following day FEDERAL - The government of Canada announced all passenger flights entering Canada will soon require a negative COVID-19 test three days before arrival, in addition to the mandatory 14-day quarantine

Saddened to share that a 56-year-old male Town of Aurora resident has passed away as a result of COVID-19. I extend my deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones; our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

I will look for any and all tools available as a mayor to fight this MZO by Minister Steve Clark that is allowing for overdevelopment in the Town of Aurora any which way I can.

CASE NUMBERS - 1 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (1x under investigation) (age range: 1x 45 to 54)... - 28 active cases in Aurora - 1 active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca** (1x Aurora High School) - 1 active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres (1x Play Laugh Learn Child Care Centre ) - 1 open institutional outbreak (11 cases at Chartwell Park Place Retirement Residence; 15055 Yonge Street) - 332** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 289 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 9,702** confirmed cases in York Region - 163 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 1,120 Total active cases in York Region - 8,282 resolved cases - 103,912 total cases (1,534 new); with 3,486 related fatalities: 87,508 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 46,389 - 330,503 total cases (4,792 new); with 11,455 related fatalities (49 new); 264,049 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19

CASE NUMBERS - 8 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (2x under investigation, 2x institutional outbreak, 3x local transmission, 1x close contact) (age range: 4x 19 to 34, 2x 55 to 64, 1x 65 to 79, 1x 80 and over)... - No active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca** - 1 active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres (1x Play Laugh Learn Child Care Centre ) - 1 open institutional outbreak (10 cases at Chartwell Park Place Retirement Residence; 15055 Yonge Street) - 33 active cases in Aurora - 274 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 322** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 8,955** confirmed cases in York Region - 158 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 1,072 Total active cases in York Region - 7,587 resolved cases - 96,745 total cases (1,249 new); with 3,383 related fatalities: 80,430 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 26,468 - 306,468 total cases (4,276 new); with 11,086 related fatalities (59 new); 244,152 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19 REGIONAL - York Region Public Health issued a public notice related to 9 confirmed and 7 probable cases of COVID-19 linked to wedding events in the Township of King PROVINCIAL - Premier Doug Ford announced the expansion of mobile crisis services to respond to mental health emergencies; summary attached - The Ontario government announced the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream for municipalities is now open FEDERAL - Prime Minister Trudeau provided an update on the federal government’s PPE response; $25 billion in contributions have been made available to provinces and territories to support COVID-19; - Canada’s total COVID-19 cases has surpassed 300,000

We are all deeply saddened at the news of the passing of Ron Wallace, affectionately known as Mr. Aurora. What a profound loss for our community. Ron Wallace gave so much to Aurora, a remarkable community leader, that will be truly missed. Our sincerest condolences to the family. You are in all of Aurora’s prayers.

I was extremely honoured to present Stanley Cup champion and Aurora’s own Barclay Goodrow with the Key to the Town today (only the 2nd Key to ever be presented). While we were unable to celebrate as we did last year, all of Aurora is proud!!! Congrats Barclay! Let's make it 3 years in a row with a hometown boy winning the Cup next year!! #AuroraProud #TownOfChampions

The Town was recently informed that the Province has changed direction on their use of the property they own at Bloomington (behind Cardinal Carter at the end of Academy Drive.) They are now looking to quickly market the property. To expedite that process, a Ministers Zoning Order was issued without even any notice to the Town that this change in zoning was coming. The Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) for the Bloomington property rezones land previously zoned as ‘Institutiona...Continue reading

I have long advocated that the rules & guidelines should be the same for multinational big box stores as they are for our small local businesses. I am pleased to hear that Dr Kurji has issued an Order under section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) requiring all York Region Shopping Malls and big box retail to set capacity limits. Penalties for non-compliance $5,000 per day and corporations may be fined $25,000 per day. And anyone found not to be in compliance may be shut down. This order takes effect Mon, Nov 23 at 12:01am read the full orders below.

CASE NUMBERS - 7 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (2x under investigation, 5x institutional outbreak) (age range: 1x 19 to 34, 2x 65 to 79, 4x 80 and over)... - No active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca** - 1 active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres (1x Play Laugh Learn Child Care Centre ) - 1 open institutional outbreak (8 cases at Chartwell Park Place Retirement Residence; 15055 Yonge Street) - 29 active cases in Aurora - 271 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 315** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 8,801** confirmed cases in York Region - 132 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 1,033 Total active cases in York Region - 7,473 resolved cases - 95,496 total cases (1,487 new); with 3,371 related fatalities: 79,295 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 33,351 - 302,192 total cases (4,802 new); with 11,027 related fatalities (74 new); 240,287 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19 REGIONAL - York Region moved to RED-Control zone at 12:01 a.m. this morning; information and details about restrictions were shared on york.ca and the Region’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels - The public health safety measures for each zone in the COVID-19 Response Framework, including RED-Control, are available at york.ca/preventcovid19 - The MAPS dashboard on york.ca/covid19 has two new features, tabs for Lab Testing Rate and Lab Positivity Rate have been added to the Maps of COVID-19 in York Region section; they will be updated once a week on Saturdays - In his video update, Dr. Kurji discusses the province’s new revised thresholds for the COVID-19 Response Framework and York Region entering the RED-Control zone PROVINCIAL - The Ontario government and the agri-food industry released a strategy to prevent COVID-19 transmission and protect farm workers and the food supply chain ahead of next year’s growing season

I was honoured to virtually welcome everyone to the 2020 Sport Aurora Volunteer Recognition Awards. Volunteerism is the cornerstone of any community. That is particularly true in a year like the one we are having, where individuals, groups, teams, and associations are struggling to find a new way of being, a new way of working together. Those recognized today are our coaches, leaders, officials, sports volunteers, coach developers all of them are part of the fabric tying o...ur community together. Thank you to all the nominators, all the volunteers, and all those being honoured today. Sport Aurora - Sandra Acchione Manherz Aurora Barbarians Rugby - Connor Libby Aurora Lawn Bowling Club - Jeffrey Walker Aurora Minor Hockey Association - Sheri Hudson & Gail Negri Aurora King Baseball Association - Andrew Backer Aurora Sports Hall of Fame - Don Ball Aurora Tigers Jr A - Stuart Parker CYGHA - Keith Higgins Storm Volleyball - David Reed York North Basketball Association - YNBA - Aldo Fazzalari York Oldtimers Hockey Assoc. - Wendell Harrison

CASE NUMBERS - 294** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 4 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (2x close contact, 2x under investigation)... (age range: 1x 14 to 18, 1x 19 to 34, 2x 45 to 54) - 1 active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca** (1x St Andrew’s College) - 1 active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres (1x Play Laugh Learn Child Care Centre ) - 25 active cases in Aurora - 254 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 8,102** confirmed cases in York Region - 177 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 1,046 Total active cases in York Region - 6,766 resolved cases - 88,209 total cases (1,426 new); with 3,275 related fatalities: 74,303 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 36,707 - 277,061 total cases (4,024 new); with 10,685 related fatalities (53 new); 223,199 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19

It was great to visit Teznic Cycles and try out the eco-friendly electric-powered dirt bike that they have developed. We also discussed the development of hydrogen technology that they are working on. This technology could revolutionize clean energy on a global scale, and it’s happening right here in Aurora! Check out the website if you get a chance teznic.com

CASE NUMBERS - 4 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (1x close contact, 1x under investigation, 2x local transmission)) (age range: 1x 14 to 18, 1x 19 to 34, 1x 35 to 44, 1x 55 to 64) - 28 active cases in Aurora... - No active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca** - 1 active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres (1x Play Laugh Learn Child Care Centre ) - 1 open institutional outbreak (11 cases at Chartwell Park Place Retirement Residence; 15055 Yonge Street) - 331** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 288 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 9,541** confirmed cases in York Region - 134 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 1,077 Total active cases in York Region - 8,154 resolved cases - 102,378 total cases (1,588 new); with 3,472 related fatalities: 86,079 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 46,671 - 325,711 total cases (4,992 new); with 11,406 related fatalities (72 new); 260,398 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19

Getting ready for today’s capital budget meeting. #gettingthingsdone

17 confirmed cases of Covid-19 linked to two weddings in Vaughan and related events in Markham and Ajax - Wed, Oct 28, & Fri, Oct 30. This outbreak is yet another reminder that everyone needs to remain vigilant as COVID-19 continues to circulate in our communities. If you attended any of these identified wedding events or ceremonies, please visit the public notice (below ) for next steps and full info.

CASE NUMBERS - 5 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (1x close contact, 2x under investigation, 2x local transmission) (age range: 1x 19 to 34, 1x 35 to 44, 3x 45 to 54)... - No active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca** - 1 active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres (1x Play Laugh Learn Child Care Centre ) - 1 open institutional outbreak (4 cases at Chartwell Park Place Retirement Residence; 15055 Yonge Street) - 27 active cases in Aurora - 266 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 308** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 8,672** confirmed cases in York Region - 178 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 1,079 Total active cases in York Region - 7,298 resolved cases - 94,009 total cases (1,248 new); with 3,361 related fatalities: 78,303 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 42,206 - 296,077 total cases (4,146 new); with 10,953 related fatalities (62 new); 235,401 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19

CASE NUMBERS - 204** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 1 new case in Aurora since yesterday’s update (1x under investigation)...Continue reading

What I am seeing happening in the multinational corporate big box stores/malls is in my opinion a troubling disconnect. Our local small businesses are being asked to restrict capacity and the ability to earn a living for the betterment of all us as we fight this virus. But when we look at the corporate big box stores and malls there are no capacity limits as per the red zone classification; they’re merely asked to Consider limiting capacity during winter holiday season.... Yet every other sector has a limit of 10 people regardless of the size of the facility or completely closed. This is unacceptable. The virus is real. The health impacts of the virus are real. But the economic impacts are also real. We need to address both impacts if we are to move forward in a way that protects the health and safety of our residents at the same time as protecting the viability of the small businesses that are the lifeblood of our community. Our small businesses are run by our friends, our neighbours, our good community partners they are our family. We need rules and guidelines that protect us all safely and equitably. If we are capping patrons in businesses, it should be across all sectors not limited to restaurants and gyms and not by way of a one size fits all approach either. As I have stated many times before, capacity limits should be based on the size of the business and not just an arbitrary number such as 10 people per restaurant and it should be applied across ALL sectors. We absolutely need to put appropriate health and safety protocols in place to ensure that the transmission rate is minimized. But the rules and guidelines should be the same for multinational big box stores as they are for our small local businesses. Let’s do what we all need to do to get through this, but let’s truly do this together as a community.

Congratulations to Ye Skewers Hot Pot Restaurant on their grand opening (In the Sobeys plaza)!! If you like spicy food this is definitely the place for you! (They also have non spicy for those that can’t handle the heat) Another great addition to the Aurora business family. #Supportlocal

Today is a time to reflect, to honour, to show our gratitude, and remember all of the men and women who sacrificed, served, fought and died for our freedom. #lestweforget

CASE NUMBERS - 290** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 9 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (4x close contact, 4x under investigation, 1x local transmission)...Continue reading

Thanksgiving may be different this year, but let’s all remember to take the time to be thankful for our blessings. From my family to yours, I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving

Last night at our first Budget Committee for the 2021 Budget, I notified Council that due to the pandemic, we may be asking those staff who can work from home to continue to do so until at least June. This decision will be made by the end of this week. In addition, in light of this ongoing disruption and its likely continued impact into 2021, I have spoken to our CAO and asked that staff look at a ways to mitigate the potential for additional financial burden to the Town as a result of COVID-19 in 2021 including a potential moratorium on some hiring. With the unique circumstances that this pandemic has created for the Town, we need to turn over all stones so as to ensure that the budget that we pass helps our residents today while not risking the future of our town.

CASE NUMBERS - 203** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 3 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (3x under investigation)... (age range: 2x 19 to 34, 1x 45 to 54) - 2 institutional outbreaks (Sunrise of Aurora 5x residents, 8x caregivers) (Chartwell LTC Mill St 1x health care worker) - 5 active cases in Aurora Schools (2x YCDSB Board Office) (2x Cardinal Carter Catholic High School) (1x St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School) - No active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres - 23 active cases in Aurora - 165 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 4,973** confirmed cases in York Region - 69 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 555 Total active cases in York Region - 4,160 resolved cases - 59,139 total cases (649 new); with 3,005 related fatalities: 50,437 resolved in Ontario *Please note we will not be posting an update on October 13 due to Thanksgiving* - 178,117 total cases (2,558 new); with 9,585 related fatalities (28 new); 149,524 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **These necessary data quality activities may result in changes to the total number of cases reported on a day-to-day basis TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19

CASE NUMBERS - 280** total confirmed cases in Aurora - No new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update - 3 active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca**... (2x Aurora High School) (1x St Andrew’s College) - No active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres - 21 active cases in Aurora - 244 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 7,749** confirmed cases in York Region - 106 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 887 Total active cases in York Region - 6,577 resolved cases - 85,395 total cases (1,242 new); with 3,245 related fatalities: 72,636 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 28,401 - 268,735 total cases (4,086 new); with 10,564 related fatalities (42 new); 218,400 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19 REGIONAL - York Region Public Health issued a public notice advising of one confirmed COVID-19 case riding York Region Transit (YRT) on October 29, 30 and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) on November 2, 2020 - York Region shared information to help tell fact from fiction when it comes to COVID-19 - In his video update, Dr. Kurji, discusses the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open framework and the importance of residents and businesses not getting complacent as the case numbers across York Region show signs of plateauing

CASE NUMBERS - 200** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 3 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (1x close contact, 1x institutional outbreak, 1x under investigation)... (age range: 2x 0 to 3, 1x 19 to 34) - 2 institutional outbreaks (Sunrise of Aurora 5x residents, 8x caregivers) (Chartwell LTC Mill St 1x health care worker) - 5 active cases in Aurora Schools (2x YCDSB Board Office) (2x Cardinal Carter Catholic High School) (1x St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School) - No active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres - 21 active cases in Aurora - 164 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 4,905** confirmed cases in York Region - 89 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 557 Total active cases in York Region - 4,090 resolved cases - 58,490 total cases (809 new); with 3,004 related fatalities: 49,732 resolved in Ontario - 178,117 total cases (2,558 new); with 9,585 related fatalities (28 new); 149,524 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **These necessary data quality activities may result in changes to the total number of cases reported on a day-to-day basis TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19

CASE NUMBERS - 281** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 3 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (2x close contact, 1x local transmission)... (age range: 3x 19 to 34) - 3 active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca** (2x Aurora High School) (1x St Andrew’s College) - No active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres - 27 active cases in Aurora - 239 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 7,646** confirmed cases in York Region - 111 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 876 Total active cases in York Region - 6,486 resolved cases - 84,153 total cases (1,328 new); with 3,233 related fatalities: 71,815 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 37,577 - 264,113 total cases (4,058 new); with 10,522 related fatalities (32 new); 215,005 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19

CASE NUMBERS - 197** total confirmed cases in Aurora - No new cases in Aurora since Oct 8 - 2 institutional outbreaks...Continue reading

Covid-19 Update - Provincial Restrictions

CASE NUMBERS - 278** total confirmed cases in Aurora - No new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update - 3 active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca**... (2x Aurora High School) (1x St Andrew’s College) - No active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres - 28 active cases in Aurora - 235 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 7,538** confirmed cases in York Region - 115 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 876 Total active cases in York Region - 6,378 resolved cases - 82,825 total cases (1,132 new); with 3,220 related fatalities: 70,938 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 39,165 - 260,055 total cases (4,246 new); with 10,490 related fatalities (54 new); 213,094 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19

This project has been such a long time coming and it’s finally here! This is the beginning of the next era for the Town of Aurora. The Library Square Project is the largest capital infrastructure project the Town has ever embarked on and will serve as a catalyst for downtown revitalization. The project is the culmination of years of planning that demonstrates that strategic municipal investment in the downtown will leverage further investment, foster employment opportunitie...s and support downtown resilience. It’s also the culmination of years of partnerships of community, government, individuals all coming together for the future of our town. I am so proud of this collaboration: when we work together towards a common vision, we can achieve anything and get things done. I want to thank all of our project partners: RAW Design, the Planning Partnership, Colliers Project Leaders and Chandos Construction Ltd The groundbreaking for Library Square a $51.6 million capital project that will transform the downtown and bring the Town of Aurora into the forefront of the region’s arts and culture scene. Construction on this transformational facility begins this week and is slated to be complete at the end of 2022. When complete, Aurora will have: - A 32,000 square foot addition to the Church Street School that features performance space, visual arts studios, museum storage, multi-purpose dance studio, program rooms, café and catering kitchen. - A vibrant open air square featuring amphitheatre, water feature, skating loop and seating areas. - An enclosed pedestrian link between the new facility and existing public library, with accessible connection to Yonge Street and downtown. - New library programming space and rooftop reading garden. The addition of a community space like Library Square will contribute to local economic activity and the growth of Aurora’s creative sector. Evidence from other communities that have similarly invested in the activity generators for their downtown core have seen a return on investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars; this is great news for our community. Thank you to my fellow members of Council, Sandra Humfryes, Michael Thompson and Harold Kim for your vision, your commitment, and your passion for our town. Thanks to our staff, who created the path for us to follow to achieve our vision. And to all the members of the community who are celebrating as we break ground on what is the largest project in Aurora’s history. Library Square is for you and it is for our children, their children, and generations beyond them. I look forward to sharing with you the start of our future, today. **Please visit the site to see more photos of the groundbreaking**

Town of Aurora - Restrict Level Classification.

At this week’s General Committee meeting, Council discussed Pedestrian Grade Separated Crossings and Future Priority Crossings within Barrie GO Rail Corridor. Council and staff have been discussing these crossings for many years. Going back to last term, Staff presented the Trails and Active Transportation Committee with crossings to prioritize; crossings identified as part of the Trails Master Plan, developed in 2011. The 2014-2018 Trails and Active Transportation committee ...prioritized the identified crossings; however, they voted against moving forward with the development of any of the crossings due to the very high costs and Metrolinx would not share in the costs. Staff have, however, actively worked with Metrolinx to have the Town build and promote connectivity of the trails east to west within Aurora. This Council had back in front of them the 8 identified crossings and the priority that has been given to them and the estimated costs associated with each crossing. The recommendation was to have all 8 be added to the 2022 budget 10 yr capital plan. While we would all, ideally, like to see these crossings built and continue to grow the connectivity of our trail systems, the reality is that it isn’t financially feasible. Adding all 8 crossings that total in and around the 30 million mark with no funding from Metrolinx means that the total cost would be borne by the residents of Aurora. This has never been satisfactory. Last term both I and our former mayor were in constant talks with the CAO of Metrolinx to try and get them to fund part of these crossings as they move forward with the expansion of the rail line. It is a shame that the Province did not look at pedestrian crossings when they decided to move forward with the 15 min all day both way expansion; these crossing are an important way to help smaller communities from being cut off from one side to the other. Well, after much deliberation, Council removed 7 and focused on one crossing that was of the highest priority The cousins drive crossing. This crossing has always been #1 in priority and is a key part of creating that east/west connectivity. Council unanimously recommended That Council identify the Cousins Drive pedestrian rail crossing identified in Attachment 2 as a priority and staff report back on the feasibility of funding the crossing as part of the 2022 Budget 10-year capital planning process. During the time from now until the 2022 budget I will continue to push hard with metrolinx to pay a share of the costs as they rightfully should. Stay tuned for further updates.

As we approach Remembrance Day, it is a time to reflect, to honour and to show our gratitude to all of the men and women who sacrificed, served, fought and died for our freedom. It is also a time to pay tribute to the important and on-going role of those who serve our country through military service today. As you drive or walk around Town this month, I encourage you to look for the Aurora Legion’s Veteran Banners that hang from the lampposts on Yonge Street in our historic d...owntown. Due to the excellent response, this year these banners have also been placed along Wellington St., east of John West Way. What a wonderful way to continue to honour our veterans and share Aurora’s history. I have received a number of questions regarding this year’s Remembrance Day events. Unfortunately, like many aspects of our daily lives, Remembrance Day 2020 will be different. Due to COVID-19 and the public health restrictions in place, the annual Remembrance Day parade, which would normally be taking place this coming Sunday, has been cancelled. I know how much our community looks forward to this annual parade and paying homage to our veterans in this very heartfelt way, but unfortunately, given the current situation, this is simply not possible. Changes have also been made to the service. The Aurora Legion will host a Remembrance Day Service on Wednesday, November 11 at 10:45 a.m., however in keeping with public health guidelines, including limiting gathering sizes and physical distancing, only those directly involved in delivering the ceremony will be at the Cenotaph. Spectators are asked not to attend and instead join us virtually at 10:45 a.m. The service will be live-streamed via The Town of Aurora’s Facebook and YouTube accounts, as well as the Aurora Legion’s Facebook page, making the ceremony available for all residents to safely experience from their homes. This year’s commemorations will undoubtedly be more intimate than in year’s past, but through the virtual Remembrance Day service we can still pay our respects, pause to reflect, and recognize the sacrifices of the brave women and men who fought to leave our world a little better than they found it. We would not be here without them. Lest we forget.

CASE NUMBERS - 197** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 4 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (4x under investigation) (age range: 2x 14 to 18, 1x 19 to 34, 1x 55 to 64)... - 2 institutional outbreaks (Sunrise of Aurora 5x residents, 8x caregivers) (Chartwell LTC Mill St 1x health care worker) - 4 active cases in Aurora Schools (1x YCDSB Board Office) (2x Cardinal Carter Catholic High School) (1x École secondaire catholique Renaissance) - No active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres - 25 active cases in Aurora - 157 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 4,654** confirmed cases in York Region - 67 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 458 Total active cases in York Region - 3,939 resolved cases - 55,945 total cases (583 new); with 2,988 related fatalities: 47,613 resolved in Ontario - 173,123 total cases (1,800 new); with 9,541 related fatalities (11 new); 145,666 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **These necessary data quality activities may result in changes to the total number of cases reported on a day-to-day basis TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19 PROVINCIAL - Premier Ford began his announcement asking all Ontarians to spend Thanksgiving with only members of their household, indicating we all have to make sacrifices to stop the spread of COVID-19 - Premier stated numbers spiked after the August long weekend, and residents need to be mindful about not letting their guard down over the holidays - Premier announced the government is investing an additional $176 million to support the people of Ontario when it comes to mental health; he acknowledged this investment will fix current services and expand existing programs - The investment will be put towards hiring more nurse practitioners, providing more withdrawal services in rural areas and adding four more patient beds at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) - This investment is part of the $3.8 billion investment in mental health over the next 10 years and builds on the $26.5 million provided during the pandemic to expand virtual mental health services and safely resume in-person counselling services

CASE NUMBERS - 278** total confirmed cases in Aurora - 4 new cases in Aurora since yesterday’s update (2x close contact, 2x under investigation)... (age range: 1x 4 to 13, 1x 19 to 34, 2x 35 to 44) - 3 active cases in Aurora Schools **data as per Ontario.ca** (2x Aurora High School) (1x St Andrew’s College) - No active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres - 30 active cases in Aurora - 233 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 7,425** confirmed cases in York Region - 114 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 869 Total active cases in York Region - 6,273 resolved cases - 81,693 total cases (1,003 new); with 3,209 related fatalities: 70,086 resolved in Ontario: Total tests completed in the previous day 41,268 - 255,809 total cases (3,669 new); with 10,436 related fatalities (55 new); 211,237 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **Data quality is an on-going process and may result in the more/less cases reported on a day-over-day basis or other changes to how cases are classified (e.g., municipality, acquisition, etc.).** TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19 FEDERAL - Prime Minister Trudeau began by stating the situation is serious as COVID-19 cases continue to rise - Indicated vaccines will hopefully be available in the spring and reminded Canadians to continue to follow public health guidelines - Reiterated from earlier this week, 3.5 million gloves were sent to the territories and more than 2.8 million rapid test kits have been delivered - Shared 84,000 jobs were added in October, indicating people are returning to work after job loss due to the pandemic - Announced an additional investment of $155 million to extend the Innovation Assistance Program (IAP) which supports small and medium-sized businesses in the innovation sector - Indicated since April 1, 2020 the program has assisted more than 2,200 Canadian firms and supported more than 24,000 Canadian jobs - Acknowledged the Exceptional Innovation Fund for COVID-19 has invested $28 million to help COVID-19 related projects; this funding is helping colleges and universities better their research and advance science - Encouraged Canadians to reach out to someone or dial 211 if you are feeling anxious or struggling with mental health

It is extremely disappointing that a company in Canada would ban the wearing of poppies for their employees. This shows a complete lack of respect for our veterans and those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us all. Whole Foods should be ashamed of themselves and need to immediately apologize and reverse this decision. #lestweforget

CASE NUMBERS - 193** total confirmed cases in Aurora - No new cases in Aurora since Oct 6 - 2 institutional outbreaks... (Sunrise of Aurora 5x residents, 8x caregivers) (Chartwell LTC Mill St 1x health care worker) - 4 active cases in Aurora Schools (1x YCDSB Board Office) (2x Cardinal Carter Catholic High School) (1x École secondaire catholique Renaissance) - No active case in Aurora Licensed child care centres - 22 active cases in Aurora - 156 resolved cases in Aurora - 15 confirmed deaths in Aurora - 4,593** confirmed cases in York Region - 71 new cases* since yesterday in York Region - 456 Total active cases in York Region - 3,880 resolved cases - 55,362 total cases (548 new); with 2,987 related fatalities: 46,906 resolved in Ontario - 171,323 total cases (2,363 new); with 9,530 related fatalities (26 new); 143,994 resolved in Canada - Interactive dashboard of real-time positive cases can be found at york.ca/COVID19 **These necessary data quality activities may result in changes to the total number of cases reported on a day-to-day basis TOWN OF AURORA - COVID-19 information available at aurora.ca/covid19 PROVINCIAL - Premier Ford began his announcement acknowledging there are thousands of workers collaborating to build a robust testing system in Ontario - As of today, Ontario has completed four million COVID-19 tests, which is more than all of Canada’s other provinces combined - By working around the clock and switching assessment centres to appointment-based testing, Ontario is ensuring everyone will have access to a test when needed - The province has reduced the backlog of test results by 40%, with 77 pharmacies across Ontario now offering testing - Through the fall preparedness plan, the government is investing $1.3 billion in testing and contact tracing, with $710 million being invested to expand testing, reduce backlogs and expand lab capacity - With over 42,000 tests completed yesterday, Ontario hit a new daily high in testing - Premier Ford called on everyone to download the COVID Alert app, acknowledging it is the easiest thing a person can do to protect themselves and others