This is a time when Canada must harness its community-driven resilience. We’re asking you to share examples of how Canadian communities are responding to the crisis with creativity and imagination. Collective problem-solving and collaboration will be instrumental in how Canada mitigates the local impacts of COVID-19 and creates on-the-ground solutions.
Highlighted Initiatives
WindsorVax Finders is providing appointment times at mass vaccination clinics & local pharmacies offering the vaccine.
17-year-old Noah Gascon is spearheading the initiative and says the link will provide information and resources along with directing individuals to experts.
Schulich Medical students are offering free childcare, errands and other volunteer services to health care practitioners across the London region
Student volunteers will be matched with a single family to minimize their contact, and only those with childcare experience can provide childcare.
Schulich Medicine and Dentistry students helping a local effort to supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to primary care teams across the London region
Co-ordinated by the London Middlesex Primary Care Alliance, a group of primary care providers, the grassroots initiative works with individuals and businesses, such as veterinary clinics, podiatrists and spas, to collect and donate unused supplies. As many businesses are closed or offering limited services during the pandemic, organizers say this is a practical way to address the shortage for frontline workers. Third-year medical students are part of the organizing team, collecting PPE equipment from community donors, creating an inventory of the supplies and helping to deliver them based on the need among local primary care teams.
University of Ottawa medical students are mobilizing to help solicit personal protective equipment to keep front-line workers safe
Students are reaching out to businesses, vendors, and industry partners who may have PPE available to donate to our hospitals and front-line healthcare professionals.
Un organisme sans but lucratif d’Edmonton crée un nouvel espace sûr au Centre Expo pour les sans-abri
En réponse aux besoins de santé publique créés par la pandémie coVID-19, la Ville d’Edmonton, les Services de santé de l’Alberta, Homeward Trust et des partenaires communautaires créent un établissement temporaire au Edmonton EXPO Centre. L’établissement servira de service d’accueil d’une journée et d’abri d’isolement 24h/24, 7j/7 pour les personnes sans abri qui ont été exposées au COVID-19, ou qui présentent des symptômes de rhume ou de grippe, afin de récupérer et de protéger les autres en s’isolant.
Edmonton-based non-profit creating new safe space in Expo Centre for those experiencing homelessness
In response to the public health need created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Edmonton, Alberta Health Services, Homeward Trust and community partners are creating a temporary facility in the Edmonton EXPO Centre. The facility will serve as a day drop-in service and as a 24/7 isolation shelter for those experiencing homelessness who have been exposed to COVID-19, or have cold or flu symptoms, to recover and protect others by self-isolating.
Magasin de vélos à Windsor en Ontario pour encourager les habitants à faire des promenades à vélo pendant coVID-19
Les ateliers de réparation de vélos sont considérés comme essentiels en vertu de l’état d’urgence de l’Ontario. Un magasin de vélos réduit le coût de l’entretien des vélos et suggère des itinéraires et des sentiers pour rester en bonne santé et en forme.
Bike shop in Windsor Ontario encouraging locals to go on bike rides during COVID-19
Bike repair shops are considered essential under Ontario’s State of Emergency. One bike shop is reducing cost of bike maintenance and suggesting routes and trails to keep healthy and fit.
Barrie automated manufacturing company retooling to manufacture personal protective equipment and other needed equipment
Innovative Automation has put its projects on pause to work on prototypes for medical face shields and ventilators.
United Way Winnipeg launches the COVID-19 Community Response Fund
All funds will go directly to front line community agencies who are supporting populations particularly vulnerable for the virus, allocated based on the priorities identified by Winnipeg’s COVID-19 Community Response Team, made up of health officials and front-line workers.
Canada Goose making medical gear in Winnipeg and Toronto to fight COVID-19
Canada Goose announced it will be using its manufacturing facilities to make scrubs and patient gowns for frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19.
City of Winnipeg sets up business task force, looking at tax deferrals during COVID-19
City of Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman announced a Mayor’s COVID-19 Business Task Force to help city businesses weather COVID-19, including the possibility of deferring property and business taxes.
In Winnipeg, neighbourhood quarantine choir led by local senior
30 neighbours on Canora Street serenaded passersby with a social-distancing singalong, singing and playing instruments to the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine from their porches.
Kelowna farm Unearthed Organics to offer online delivery
Unearthed Organics, a small-scale mixed organic farm in Central Kelowna will be offering a produce delivery service for a small fee once growing season begins in 3-6 weeks.
Surrey Hospital Foundation creates COVID-19 response fund
The Surrey Hospital Foundation has created a donor-funded $50,000 Response Fund to help purchase equipment for COVID-19 care, as well as health and wellness initiatives for frontline workers.
Volunteers on bikes deliver supplies and friendship to vulnerable people during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Toronto
The group has joined forces with a few community organizations, including a local kitchen and the University Health Network’s Friendly Neighbour Hotline.
London’s deputy mayor offers online civics class for kids stuck at home due to COVID-19
London’s deputy mayor hosted a civics class for children as the province’s publicly funded schools face two more weeks of closures amid the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. The lesson was provided in a Facebook Live entitled “At-Home Civics Class with Deputy Mayor Jesse Helmer.”
Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
This comic is based on reporting from NPR’s Cory Turner, who asked experts what kids might want to know about COVID-19. The illustrators used his interviews with Tara Powell at the University of Illinois School of Social Work, Joy Osofsky at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and Krystal Lewis at the National Institute of Mental Health. Print and fold a zine version of this comic here. Here are directions on how to fold it. To read this comic in Chinese, click here.
Democracy in a time of Social Distancing
Andrea Reimer and guests deliver a webinar to explore the opportunities for engaging communities and democratic decision-making in a time of social distancing.
COVID-19: Local Action Tracker features a sortable grid detailing the policy decisions
Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the National League of Cities launched a new initiative that collects and shares actions taken by local U.S. leaders in response to the pandemic. The COVID-19: Local Action Tracker features a sortable grid detailing the policy decisions and bold actions that city leaders are making to contain the spread of coronavirus.
CareMongering Guelph
Guelph-based Facebook Group for fostering community, offering support and resources, sharing opportunities/events that may be helpful to support community members, and organizing and staying connected to ensure vulnerable community members have access to food, housing, healthcare, and other necessities. The space is also for the redistribution of resources, and for people to post about any needs for support (emotional or physical or otherwise).
Toronto Society of Architects shares resources for members during COVID-19
Toronto Society of Architects creates space to share resources that might be helpful for members during COVID-19
Poverty advocacy group publishes poster with financial supports for workers and parents
Victoria (Canada)-based TAPS (Together Against Poverty Society) has a friendly poster with a list of financial supports available for workers and parents during #COVID19
Virtual creativity hour offers space for shared silent creative time
Facebook event for sharing silent creative time via Zoom conference. People join remotely to write, read, knit, work on photography, paint, do calligraphy, etc.
Local Toronto gyms offering free online classes
BlogTO compiled a list of local Toronto gyms that have moved classes online, after gyms were shut down due to COVID-19, as a way to leverage their platforms for social good, and connect with their local community.
La Chambre de commerce de Calgary émet des recommandations politiques pour l’économie pendant coVID-19
Les recommandations stratégiques couvrent à court terme (les trois prochains mois), à moyen terme (2020-2021) et à long terme (2021md).
Calgary Chamber of Commerce issues policy recommendations for economy during COVID-19
Policy recommendations cover short term (next three months), medium term (2020-2021), and long-term (2021+)
Toronto’s Greenest City and FoodShare offer Emergency Food Assistance to residents of Parkdale neighbourhood
For those in the Parkdale neighbourhood facing food insecurity, Greenest City and FoodShare are offering to deliver food to your door during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community Foundation of Calgary providing charities with platform to share emerging needs
Through a survey form, the Community Foundation of Calgary is providing charities with a place to share some of their most pressing and emerging needs with donors, fund holders and the larger community. The Calgary Foundation will then help spread the word to the broader community.
Neighbours create online survey tool to match people in need in Toronto’s Parkdale/High Park with volunteers
A group of neighbours in Toronto’s Parkdale/High Park/Ward 4 are matching people in need to help through Windemere Church’s volunteers and staff.
Community-sourced page for people needing help and offering help in Guelph
Community-sourced page in Guelph, Ontario, bringing together community-driven and people-powered initiatives in one place. The resource offers a list of community organizations and what they need, along with a list of volunteers offering help. A map shows how and where to obtain free food during COVID-19 closures.