Malls shut as mayor declares state of emergency

As part of the city’s ongoing response to COVID -19, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens officially declared a state of emergency Friday evening and ordered the temporary closures of Devonshire and Tecumseh malls.

Declaring an emergency provides Windsor with “additional tools to protect the health and safety of individuals and families living in the city,” a news release from the city says.

The declaration also grants Windsor access to provincial funding, should it become available.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the same declaration on Tuesday.

Since then, several municipalities have followed, including London, Sarnia, and Calgary.

The temporary closure of Devonshire and Tecumseh malls begins at the end of the day Saturday and will last until at least April 5.

“Schools, restaurants, churches, community centres, pools, libraries and arenas have shut their doors to help reduce the risk of transmission,” Dilkens says in the news release.

“This is just the appropriate next step to take as we seek to protect public health.”

Some businesses in and attached to the malls will remain open despite the ordered closure, the news release said. Those include pharmacies, grocery stores and restaurants with a liquor licence.

Any “pad site” not physically connected to the malls and any site attached directly to mall premises with no access from mall interiors will also be exempt from the closure.

As new information becomes available, the city will post it on its website (www. citywindsor.ca/covid-19). As of Friday, Windsor-essex has no confirmed cases of COVID-19.