The Province of Ontario have amended the Emergency Orders to permit the use of allotment gardens and community gardens across the province. As indicated in the News Release from April 25th, local public health units will provide advice, recommendations and instructions that the gardens must meet in order to operate. Ottawa Public Health has already been in contact with community organizations, like Just Food, and City Departments who support the operation of these gardens to share the news.
As you know, these gardens are a vital source of nutritious and affordable food for our communities, and I’m are pleased to hear they will be able to operate, while adhering to important physical distancing guidelines.
Support and guidance
Recommendations for Farmers’ Markets and Community Agricultural boxes (CSA’s) including pickup and delivery options
Farmer’s Markets have been deemed an essential business, under the current Order from the Province of Ontario. Ottawa Public Health has worked with partners to establish objectives to keep people safe. Please note that market organizers require landowner permission to operate while Provincial orders in place. Market organizers must also contact Ottawa Public Health to review their plans before operating.
To reduce risks, OPH recommends implementing strategies that encourage physical distancing, including: More information can be found here
- Sale of food products only
- Pre-order, pre-pay, and use e-payments
- Pre-package food items
- No sampling permitted
- Limit the number of people inside the market to allow for physical distancing – encourage one member per family
- Limit number of vendor’s at each stall to ensure 2 metre physical distancing
- Provide barriers between staff, volunteers and customers where possible
- Vendor stalls/vehicles to be at least 2 metres/6 feet apart
- If line-ups do occur inside, support clients to physically distance by providing markings on the floor for 2 metre/6 feet distance
- Establish line management practices for any customers waiting outside to enter the market that require 2 meters/6 feet physical distancing
- Encourage organized/staggered appointments for food pick-up to reduce the number of people on-site at the same time
- Upon customer pick-up:
- ensure physical distance is maintained
- recommend no contact pick-up, by encouraging customers to stay in vehicle and place items in trunk
- Practice hand hygiene with either soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer immediately after each interaction
- If delivering food, items should be left at the door rather than a face-to-face interaction take place
- Delivery person can knock at the door to alert receiver, then walk away,
- Alternatively, place the items at the door and step back or to the side 2 metres/6 feet
- Practice hand hygiene with either soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after each delivery
- Clean and disinfect high contact surfaces and objects in delivery vehicles, including any re-usable delivery containers, at least twice daily
- Use non-physical forms of greetings instead of shaking hands, avoid direct contact with other people outside of your immediate family
