Keeping residents safe during the COVID-19 pandemic is a top priority for the Town of Inuvik.
As a precautionary measure, the Town administration has decided to close the following facilities by the end of the day:
- Midnight Sun Complex.
- Inuvik Centennial Library.
- Town of Inuvik Town Hall & Town Office.
Grant Hood is the Senior Administrative Officer Inuvik Municipal and Community Affairs.
As the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to evolve around the world, Hood says the Town of Inuvik is working with partners to manage potential impacts within their community.
“While public events and programs run by the Town of Inuvik have been suspended, the provision of all essential services such as water, sewer, emergency response, garbage collection, solid waste site operations, road maintenance,will remain.” Hood said. “The Town will update residents as the situation develops.”
Hood says there is an overall sense of calm in the town and they have not witnessed a lot of panic buying like the rest of Canada.
“Inuvik is accustomed to closures and shortages due to road closures. At this time of year most people are stocking up anyway for the spring closure and the suppliers are aware of this so have a good stock,” Hood said. “Obviously there will be some who are buying more than usual.”
The most important item that they do not have in the town for people to buy to protect themselves from COVID-19 is hand sanitizers, Hood says.
“This is not an item that would typically be rolling off the shelves in great quantities at any point of the year,” Hood said. “They normally have them but it is one of the items that is selling more than usual.”
Town of Inuvik Mayor Natasha Kulikowskis says the Town of Inuvik continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation in Canada closely.
“Although we have had to make some difficult decisions regarding on-going operations of facilities and programs, we have done so with the safety of our residents and employees as our top priority,” Mayor Kulikowski said in a news release. “I will continue to work hard on their behalf to maintain a safe and healthy community.”
For updates and more detailed information regarding particular facilities, programs, and how residents can do their part to help encourage “social distancing” and minimizing potential effects of the potential spread of COVID-19 please visit the Town website at www.inuvik.ca/COVID-19
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