Strathcona County announced Thursday that it is laying off workers and that the reduction in staff is being prompted by ongoing closures and event cancellations as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
“Approximately 500 hourly staff members have been affected by the Alberta Health requirement to cancel large events or close buildings,” reads a news release on the county’s website.
“Based on the reality of ongoing building closures and event cancellations, the interim chief commissioner made the unprecedented and difficult decision to lay off hourly staff members who are not working, effective April 27.”
The county said it “anticipates the layoffs to be temporary in nature, until the buildings reopen and services return to normal.”
READ MORE: Strathcona County suspending transit fare collection over COVID-19 concerns
Global News has reached out to the county for confirmation on exactly how many workers are being laid off.
“This decision will greatly impact the everyday lives of our hourly staff,” the county said. “We are working to ensure that affected staff are supported as much as possible.
“Affected staff will continue to have access to supports available through the Employee and Family Assistance Program, along with their employee flexible spending accounts.”
The county said it will try to find ways of redeploying staff who are being laid off and that it is still committed to ensuring that it supports “the provision of critical services to the community.”
“While many of the public facing aspects of the county’s business have been suspended or directed online, the organization continues to deliver critical services,” the county said.
“The county also remains resourced and prepared to respond to seasonal events, such as spring flooding, and the Strathcona County’s Emergency Management Agency continues to action contingency planning and response to COVID-19.”
Other developments related to COVID-19 in Strathcona County
Strathcona County also provided an update for its residents on Thursday regarding other steps it is taking during the coronavirus pandemic.
The county said it has granted temporary signage allowances so businesses can “better communicate service changes during the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation.”
The county said businesses can contact its Planning and Development Services to discuss options available to them and noted that the application fee for eligible signage will be waived.
Strathcona County officials also announced the municipality will immediately begin “scheduled lifecycle work on aquatic centres now closed due to COVID-19 impacts.”
For more information on Strathcona County’s response to COVID-19, click here.
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