COVID-19 FAQ

No. Further to the provincial government's announcement on March 30, the GRCA Administration Centre and all other GRCA facilities remain closed to the public until April 13, with the possibility of an extension as the situation evolves. Most GRCA staff are working remotely to help prevent the possible spread of this virus. We will continue to serve the community as best as possible over the phone, by email and through our online permit application system.

If you need to make a delivery to the GRCA Administration Centre, please make arrangements with your staff contact.

No. Further to the provincial government's announcement on March 30, all Grand River Parks, passive-use conservation areas, and trails remain closed to the public until April 13, with the possibility of an extension as the situation evolves. Parking lots in all these areas are also closed. There will not be any regular maintenance and no hazard management performed on properties owned and managed by the GRCA during this period.

Members of the public are not permitted on any GRCA owned and managed properties during this period of time, and those who access these properties are trespassing. 

Municipal partners are aware of these closures. Those who choose to ignore the closures and park outside of these areas on municipal roadways may be subject to fines. 

No. Further to the provincial government's announcement on March 30, all trails and natural areas that are owned and managed by the GRCA remain closed to the public until April 13, with the possibility of an extension as the situation evolves. Parking lots in all these areas are also closed. There will not be any regular maintenance and no hazard management performed on properties owned and managed by the GRCA during this period.

Members of the public are not permitted on any GRCA owned and managed properties during this period of time, and those who access these properties are trespassing. 

Please note: We are receiving complaints of people continuing to use properties that are owned and managed by the GRCA. Please respect the closures for the safety of our staff and the community. We are physically closing properties and adding signage where possible. To be clear, whether or not signed, all GRCA owned and managed properties are closed.

While not an exhaustive list, we have listed below some of the heavily used areas that are owned and managed by the GRCA that are closed:

• Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail
• Elora Cataract Trail

• Brantford to Hamilton Trail (between County Rd. 18 in Brant County and Jerseyville)
• Apps' Mill, Brant (Map)
• Arkell-Smith, Puslinch (Map) 
• Chesney, Drumbo (Map)
• Dumfries, Cambridge (Map)
• Dryden Tract, Ayr (Map)
• FWR Dickson, Ayr (Map)
• Guelph Lake dam to Victoria Road N (including GORBA trails), Guelph (Map)
• Puslinch Tract, Puslinch (Map)
• Taquanyah, Cayuga (Map)
• Snyder's Flats, Bloomingdale (Map)
• Starkey Hill, Puslinch (Map)
• Woolwich Reservoir, Elmira (Map)

The GRCA has a legal obligation to ensure the safety of both our staff and those who access our properties when permitted. For the duration of this time period, there will not be any regular maintenance nor hazard management performed on properties that are owned and managed by the GRCA. At this time of year, we have a limited number of staff who are able to perform the important duties of managing our extensive land holdings, including our parks, trails and passive-use conservation areas. 

Many of these staff members also have the responsibility of managing hazards on our properties, as well as inspecting, operating and maintaining our flood management infrastructure, which is vital to the safety of many watershed residents. It is imperative that the GRCA ensures that they are able to carry out this essential service without impediment and any further risk to their health and safety.

This responsibility is further defined in the provincial government’s March 23 order, which mandates that only businesses deemed as essential operate in Ontario at this time. The GRCA is complying with this order. We have reduced our operations to essential services only until April 13, with the possibility of an extension as this situation evolves.

Please respect the closures for the safety of our staff and the community.  

No. Further to the provincial government's announcement on March 30, all lands that are owned and managed by the GRCA remain closed to the public until April 13, with the possibility of an extension as the situation evolves. Parking lots in all these areas are also closed. There will not be any regular maintenance and no hazard management performed on properties owned and managed by the GRCA during this period.

No. All GRCA Nature Centres and their surrounding property have been closed to the public and all events have been cancelled until April 13, with the possibility of an extension as the situation evolves.

Members of the public are not permitted on any GRCA owned and managed properties during this period of time, and those who access these properties are trespassing. 

No. The GRCA has temporarily suspended the sale of all annual GRCA membership passes and gift cards due to the closure of our Grand River Parks.

At this time, current valid membership passes will be extended by one month past the current expiry date. The GRCA will continue to monitor developments and reassess as needed. Should the temporary closure extend beyond a one month period, the GRCA will revisit this extension.

The GRCA's response to the COVID-19 pandemic will not affect our flood forecasting and warning system. The GRCA will continue to work with our municipal first responders to help protect the lives and property of our watershed residents in the event of flooding.

Please visit our flood forecasting and warning system page to learn more.

Yes. At this time, most GRCA staff are working remotely to help prevent the spread of this virus. We continue to accept permit applications through our online permit application system. If you are unsure of how to apply for a permit, please review the information on our website about how to apply for a permit. There may be a delay in processing your application, since GRCA staff are not available to conduct in-person site inspections at this time.

In addition, if you have any questions about the application process you may contact the appropriate planner for your township or municipality via email. In your email, please include your name, contact information, location and a description of your proposal or your question.

Yes. Hard copy permit applications may still be submitted by mail or courier to the GRCA Administration Centre (400 Clyde Road, PO Box 729, Cambridge, ON N1R 5W6). However, GRCA staff are working remotely until at least April 13.

Paper applications will be processed once GRCA staff have returned to work in the office and have access to these files.

Yes. Please submit any additional inquiries or Title Clearance requests via email to planning@grandriver.ca. Once received, our planning Technical Assistant will provide a response and if required can advise you on how payment can be made. Minor delays in responding may be experienced while we work remotely and we thank you for your patience.

No. Trees will not be available this spring.

Following the direction of both the federal and provincial government regarding the importance of social distancing, most GRCA staff are working remotely. For a number of reasons, it would be difficult to practice appropriate social distancing measures while continuing with our usual tree planting activities this spring. The safety of our staff and the community remains our highest priority.

In addition, some of the GRCA’s nursery partners may face potential disruptions to their operations. Given the short window in the spring when tree planting can take place, this added uncertainty, coupled with the importance of maintaining social distancing as much as possible, the decision has been made to cancel tree planting activities for this spring.

This includes online orders, community planting events, private land tree planting projects, as well as the GRCA’s annual tree sale in May.

If you have a confirmed order, have paid a deposit and/or have paid your invoice we will reach out to you directly with more information on issuing refunds.

Yes. We will process refunds on any payments we have received for your order.

For those who have paid a deposit, you may opt to hold this over for a future order or you may request that it be refunded as well.

As the GRCA Administration Centre is currently closed and most staff are working remotely, refund transactions may be delayed. We will work as quickly as possible to process refunds for cancelled orders. We thank you for your patience.

No. Trees will not be available in the fall. You may request that your current order be transferred to spring 2021, or you may wait until October 1, 2020 when our new tree availability list will be posted for spring 2021.

Reservations for tree orders are accepted annually between October 1 and the end of March.

No. This program is cancelled for spring 2020.  

Following the direction of both the federal and provincial government regarding the importance of social distancing, most GRCA staff are working remotely. For a number of reasons, it would be difficult to practice appropriate social distancing measures while continuing with our usual tree planting activities this spring. The safety of our staff and the community remains our highest priority.

In addition, some of the GRCA’s nursery partners may face potential disruptions to their operations. Given the short window in the spring when tree planting can take place, this added uncertainty, coupled with the importance of maintaining social distancing as much as possible, the decision has been made to cancel tree planting activities for this spring.

This includes online orders, community planting events, private land tree planting projects, as well as the GRCA’s annual tree sale in May.

GRCA staff involved in spring tree planting activities will reach out directly to those who have registered with options for deferring or refunding your project.

Yes. If your property is over 5 acres and you’re interested in a large scale planting project we would be happy to add you to our waitlist for a future tree planting project.

Please contact us at trees@grandriver.ca to make this request.