Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
What's New?
Effective June 1, 2020
- Burnaby Public Library is now offering Paper Bag Pickup, a safe and contact-free pickup service for books, movies, music and much more. View details »
- On June 1, we will begin re-opening outdoor fitness circuits and playgrounds at Burnaby parks.
- Beginning June 1, all Committee, Commission and Board meetings will be reinstated and Public Hearings will commence.
Changes to City Services
- Burnaby City Hall services by appointment only
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Effective Monday, March 23, Burnaby City Hall will serve the public on an appointment-only basis in order to assist with physical distancing during the COVID-19 crisis. This will be in effect until further notice.
Members of our community are advised to use the following alternatives:
» Do the business online
» Do the business by phone
» Delay non-essential business until a later date
If you have no other alternatives, and must make an appointment for an in-person visit, please contact the staff member or department relevant to your business or the City Hall front counter at 604-294-7944.
- Council Meetings Continue and Committee, Commission and Board Meetings Reinstated
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Effective June 1, all Committee, Commission and Board meetings will be reinstated and Public Hearings will be conducted virtually. Council meetings are proceeding as per schedule. For meeting dates and times, please review burnaby.ca/eagenda.
Council, Committee, Commission, and Board of Variance meetings are open to the public although residents are encouraged to watch meetings via the live webcast. The following meetings will be broadcast live: Open Council and Special Council, Public Hearings, Social Planning, Environment, Traffic and Public Safety Committees, Community Heritage and Parks, Recreation and Culture Commissions, and Board of Variance.
Members of the public who wish to attend meetings in person may do so, however limited seating is available as the City is following physical distancing guidelines. To attend in person, enter City Hall at the southwest entrance (by the café) and check-in with security. Please stay home if you felling unwell.
Electronic agendas are published at 4:30pm on the Friday prior to the meeting. If you would like to pick up a paper copy of the agenda, please contact the Office of the City Clerk at 604-294-7290. Please note Burnaby City Hall will serve the public on an appointment-only basis.
- Warming Centre services extended
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In order to continue to ensure the City meets the needs of people who are homeless in Burnaby while also complying with current British Columbia Centre for Disease Control physical-distancing recommendations with respect to COVID-19, the City is making the following changes to Burnaby warming centres:
» Burnaby Lake Arena (at 3677 Kensington Avenue) will continue to operate until June 30, with operating hours from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily.
Changes to City Parks & Facilities
- City closes all libraries, recreation and cultural facilities and City-operated restaurants
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Effective Wednesday, March 18, all City of Burnaby public facilities, including all recreation centres, arenas, libraries (including home library and accessible service), cultural facilities, and City-operated restaurants will be closed until further notice.
Burnaby Public Library is now offering Paper Bag Pickup, and library items can be returned at dropboxes at all four branches between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday. There are no late fees.
See list of affected facilities »
- City Golf Courses Now Open
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Riverway Golf Course, Burnaby Mountain Golf Course, Kensington Pitch & Putt and Central Park Pitch & Putt re-opened on Friday, May 1. Due to social distancing protocols, tee time availability and other services will be limited. Learn more »
- Select City-owned Outdoor Facilities Now Open
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The following City-owned outdoor facilities have re-opened: playing fields (casual play only), baseball diamonds attached to sports field (casual play only), tennis courts (casual play, single matches only), basketball courts (casual play only) sports courts (badminton, bocce, horseshoe, table tennis, tetherball, volleyball), outdoor tracks, skate parks, disc golf, Mountain Air Bike Skills Park and Taylor Park Bike Park.
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Outdoor fitness circuits and playgrounds at Burnaby parks will begin re-opening on June 1. View list of open playgrounds »
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The following outdoor facilities remain closed until further notice: baseball diamonds at Kensington K6, Robert Burnaby Park and Central Park, lacrosse boxes, outdoor pools, wading pools, spray pools and spray pads. The field at Swangard Stadium remains closed.
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A reminder to physical distance when visiting parks and trails locations by keeping 2 metres between yourself and others.
- New penalties for people entering closed parks facilities
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The City is stepping up enforcement by issuing Bylaw Violation Notice and a $500 penalty to people caught using or entering a closed facility.
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Learn more: March 24, 2020 Council Report
- No Barbecues and Picnic Site Rentals
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To prevent gatherings and to encourage physical distancing, all picnic site rentals have been cancelled until further notice, and barbecues, fires or open flames are not permitted in any of our parks.
- Changes to Deer Lake Park trails and parking lots
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Due to concerns with crowding at Deer Lake, the parking lots at Burnaby Art Gallery, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and Burnaby Village Museum are closed until further notice. To relieve the parking pressure in the surrounding neighbourhoods, the City has opened the small parking lot at Royal Oak Avenue and a limited number of stalls in the parking lot at Sperling Avenue (beach access & boat launch). For physical distancing, we encourage you to visit your local, neighbourhood park instead of driving to this popular destination park.
Trails at Deer Lake Park are now one-way only, to ensure you can enjoy the trails while practicing physical distancing.
With a variety of loop length options, walkers can choose the path that suits their needs. View Map »
One-way loop lengths:
» Deer Lake Route = 3.5kn
» Hart House Mini Route = 1.2 km
» Oakland Flats = 2km
» Royal Oak Meadow Route = 1.7km
Maps and direction signage are posted throughout the park.
- Changes to Barnet Marine Park access and parking
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Barnet Marine Park can only be accessed from the West entrance. View Map »
The east side entrance and parking lot are closed. The overpass from the west parking lot is also closed.
Additional parking is available in the Burnaby Mountain Bike Skills Park. Please use the pedestrian crosswalk and follow the traffic controllers when crossing the highway. As parking is limited, we encourage you to visit your local, neighbourhood park instead of driving to this popular destination park.
Please remember to keep 2 metres between yourself and others.
Changes to City Programs & Events
- Summer Event and Program Cancellations
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Programs and events scheduled to occur prior to September 30, 2020 will be cancelled as a result of ongoing distancing requirements and restrictions placed on public gatherings of more than 50 persons.
For a full list of cancelled events and programs, view the staff report from the May 11, 2020 City Council agenda.
Cancelled events will also be listed on Burnaby.ca Calendar of Events.
- Enjoy Online Activities and Learning at Home
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Be Active with no-equipment-required fitness videos
Be Creative with online exhibitions, instructional videos and resources
Be Curious with educational resources from the Burnaby Public Library, Heritage Burnaby and more
- Refunds for Programs, Passes and Rentals
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Refunds are available for programs, passes and rentals that were affected by the closure of City facilities.
While community centres are currently closed to the public, staff are still available to answer phone calls.
For programs, full refunds are available for any remaining sessions for current courses and for upcoming courses. Refunds are not available for past sessions or completed courses prior to March 12, 2020. A credit will be placed on your City registration account. If you would like a refund in a different form, please contact a community centre.
For passes, full refunds are available for any remaining punches on a punchcard, and for any remaining dates on a monthly, three month or annual Be Active Pass. Please contact a community centre for more details.
For allotments & rental refunds, full refunds are available for any remaining dates on a contract or for upcoming bookings. Please contact the facility booked for more details.
For Shadbolt Centre ticket refunds, full refunds are available for all cancelled productions. Please contact the Box Office at 604-205-3000 for more details.
- Online (WebReg) Registration is not available
Further adjustments will be made, as needed, to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Meanwhile, City staff are following all infection control measures recommended by health authorities to prevent the spread of the virus. Enhanced cleaning measures and additional hand sanitizing stations are now in place at our facilities.
Contact us
If you have questions about City services, programs and facilities, please read through our frequently asked questions, phone our City of Burnaby staffed call centre at 604-570-3800, 8am-6pm daily, or send an email to covid19@burnaby.ca.
What you can do
The most effective way to protect yourself and your family is to follow a few simple recommendations from public health officials:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water;
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing;
- Avoid touching your face;
- Avoid others who are unwell;
- Stay home when you are sick; and
- If you are out in public, try to keep 2 metres between yourself and others.
The symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, are similar to other respiratory illnesses, including the flu and common cold. They include cough, sneezing, fever, sore throat and difficulty breathing.
Use the Burnaby COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool to help determine if you need further assessment or testing for COVID-19. You can complete this assessment for yourself, or on behalf of someone else, if they are unable to.
Anyone concerned that they may have been exposed to, or are experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, should contact their primary health care provider or call 8-1-1 (Health Link BC).
The province has created a phone service to provide non-medical information about COVID-19, including the latest information on travel recommendations and physical distancing. Information is available in more than 110 languages, 7:30 am - 8 pm at 1-888-COVID19 (1-888-268-4319) or via text message at 604-630-0300.
What the City is doing
Public health authorities including BC Centre for Disease Control and Fraser Health continue to advise everyone has a role to play in preventing the spread of COVID-19. The City of Burnaby has activated its Emergency Operations Centre and has emergency plans and processes in place to monitor and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in the community and for City staff who may be impacted by the virus, including first responders.
The City will continue to work closely with, and following the direction of, Fraser Health Authority, Health Emergency Management BC, Emergency Management BC and other organizations as information changes.
Resources
Health Related Resources:
Resources for Business:
Housing Resources:
Other Resources:
