SUDBURY -- Update: 

The Ontario government declared a second state of emergency on Jan. 12 and province-wide stay-at-home orders went into effect on Jan. 14. Read more about that here.

Original:

Despite being in the province's green-prevent zone of the COVID-19 response framework, Sudbury will be joining the rest of the province in the Ontario-wide lockdown for two weeks starting at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 26.

The Ford government is initiating the lockdown to reduce the spread of COVID-19 that is overwhelming hospitals in the southern parts of the province.

"Even with our community working hard to keep our local case count low, Greater Sudbury remains at risk as provincial numbers rise and the health care system is threatened. This across-the-board approach is temporary but necessary if we are to protect everyone in our community, including those most vulnerable. Like many, Public Health looks forward to a healthier 2021 and arrival of effective vaccines," said Sudbury's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Penny Sutcliffe.

Northern Ontario, which includes communities in the Parry Sound District and north, is subject to a two-week lockdown, while the rest of the province will be locked down for four weeks.

In response, the City of Greater Sudbury is making some temporary changes to some of its programs and services.

"While it’s certainly disappointing to learn that we’re going into lockdown after we’ve all worked so hard to limit the local spread of COVID-19, we need to look at the bigger picture," said Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger. "As we head into the heart of the holiday season when many people historically travel between cities to visit loved ones, it’s more critical than ever that we all do our part. We still have the ability to successfully work through this pandemic, but it means taking it seriously and making some temporary sacrifices for the greater good – not just for our own community, but for our loved ones across Ontario."

These are the services that will be closed until Jan. 9:

  • Arenas– all ice bookings and public skating programs will be cancelled
  • All pools and fitness centres
  • Ski hills
  • Recycling centre service counter

These activities and services will be open:

  • Outdoor rinks and skate paths are allowed to be open, but neighbourhood fieldhouses will be closed
  • Parks, playgrounds and open spaces remain open for pass-through, no team games or sports allowed
  • Bell Park boardwalk, Delki Dozzi track, and Fielding Memorial Park walking loop are maintained for winter walking
  • Libraries remain open for contactless curbside pickup
  • Citizen Service Centres remain open for contactless curbside pickup
  • Tom Davies Square by appointment only
  • Landfill sites
  • Animal shelter by appointment only
  • Child care centres – except school-aged children from Jan. 4 - 8