Coronavirus pandemic forces Waterloo Region to lay off hundreds

The coronavirus pandemic could see close to 400 people laid off by Waterloo Region by early next month.

A staff report, which will be presented to council on Wednesday, says the region has already issued temporary layoff notices to part-time casual staff who would have otherwise been working at regional libraries, museums and cultural services sites and clerical pool staff. The report says a number of contracts were also terminated early.

In total, 179 people were affected by those moves.

In addition, with a number of bus routes being cut and a lower ridership level, around 90 Grand River Transit employees were laid off on Monday, while another 11 have been redeployed.

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The layoffs will continue through April and early May and could affect as many as 120 people, although the report says some could be shifted elsewhere.

The report estimates that the region will lose approximately $4.861 million per month of the coronavirus crisis. That figure is largely due to free public transit, although it is also impacted by the closure of daycares, a decrease in waste management fees and less revenue from public housing and red light cameras, among other things.

About $2.83 million of those costs has been offset by more limited public transit expenditures and staffing savings. In addition, the region has delayed filling 70 non-critical positions and hiring students for summer positions.

With a close to $2-million shortfall, staff are recommending that three planned bus service expansions do not proceed, including Route 77, which runs to Wilmot.

The report says all projects are currently being reviewed by staff to determine which ones could be put on hold or deferred to next year.