As the province continues to reopen, the effects of COVID-19 are felt in our everyday lives, and they’re shaping how our community moves forward. Each stage of reopening comes with a welcome list of services that can get back online, and along with that, the necessary precautions and cleaning procedures that must still be in place to operate safely. Our municipality and local businesses will follow these new rules, to protect customers, our residents, and staff while we explore new and creative ways to serve our community.
The Meaford Farmers’ Market is a great example of how initiative from the agricultural community has met, head on, the challenges of small gatherings and social distancing. They will offer fresh, farm-to-table food - with a twist this summer. You can now order and pay online for goods from individual Farmers’ Market vendors, and pick them up each Friday from 3 – 7:00 p.m. at the Market Square next to Meaford Hall. Not only do you enjoy healthy food products and specialty items, you support our local farming community, while complying with the critical safety protocols necessary to reduce community spread of the virus. I encourage you to visit www.meafordfarmersmarket.ca. To make a purchase for next Friday’s pickup.
Another creative example is a partnership between the Municipality and the Meaford Chamber of Commerce to provide an eCommerce Assistance Grant to help retail businesses in our community establish an online presence. The Municipality is offering a matching grant of $500 to help with the cost of building your online shopping connection. For more information or to apply for this grant, please visit www.meafordchamber.ca.
It is wonderful to see the very real examples of community support - of inventive partnerships and initiatives from front-line workers, from volunteers delivering meals, from neighbours helping neighbours, and from everyone taking care to find creative solutions to these unforeseen challenges. As reopening continues, carefully, I urge you to connect with our local businesses - find out first-hand how they’re working to serve you better.
Meaford Mayor Barb Clumpus
