Today I launched the Burlington COVID-19 Task Force with the goal of further supporting our community through this unprecedented health crisis.
The Task Force will share information and mobilize community and agency resources to support our hospital and healthcare workers as we prepare for the anticipated surge of patients in the coming weeks and the recovery period to follow, as well as coordinate our broader community efforts on COVID-19. Members will bring information and/or requests for assistance back to each of their own organizations and emergency response tables.
While this information-sharing and collaboration is already happening, the Task Force will formalize and add structure to this effort as we collectively serve our community over the coming weeks and months.
Membership includes community leaders and decision-makers representing various organizations and agencies involved in the COVID-19 response. New members may be added as needs evolve. Each participant is likely to be a member of their own organization’s COVID-19 response group, with an ability to bring information from that table to the Task Force, and vice versa.
Invitees began with and grew from the panelists on the City’s recent public telephone town hall on March 26th. Community response to that event was overwhelmingly positive, with residents specifically mentioning that they appreciated the assembled panel of cross-functional experts and leaders, and seeing the evidence of collaboration, sharing of information and coordinating of efforts to serve them.
Organizations invited at this time include representatives from the City of Burlington and our Emergency Control Group, City Council, the Burlington Fire Department, Halton Regional Police Service, Joseph Brant Hospital, our local MPs and MPPs, school boards, Halton Region, Burlington Hydro, TEAM Burlington and business support groups, as well as military, spiritual and philanthropic groups. The full list can be found on our COVID-19 Task Force webpage.
Our first meeting will take place tomorrow afternoon. Future meetings are expected to take place weekly, or more often as necessary, by teleconference chaired by the Mayor. A summary of action and information will be provided to all members after each call, with highlights posted for the public on the City’s and Mayor’s websites.
I look forward to the continued collaboration between these valued organizations and leaders in our community as we work through the challenge that we now know is ahead of us for the next 18-24 months.
Sincerely,
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward
City of Burlington