Nipissing First Nation is closing all businesses that offer store front sales and services accessed by the public at a physical location for 14 days.

The Council supported move starts at 4 pm tomorrow and runs until April 21st.

Officials say it’s being done to protect the safety and well-being of all Nipissing First Nation members and to stop the spread of COVID-19.

They say the move is being made on top of businesses that have been ordered to close by the province.

“Nipissing First Nation is still not planning to shut down access to our communities,” says Chief Scott McLeod.

“Council believes closing our storefront businesses for two weeks starting this Tuesday at 4 pm until Tuesday, April 21st at 4 pm will be more effective in limiting the increased traffic into our communities that we have been witnessing, and that we know puts our community members at an increased risk,” he adds. “Their safety and well-being is first and foremost in our decision-making in these difficult times. We simply don’t have the resources to restrict access to all the entrances to our territory and if the traffic to the stores dries up, there is no need to do that.”

A release says another important consideration in not closing access to NFN, as Chief McLeod has noted previously, is the importance of maintaining access to medical and other essential services in Sturgeon Falls and North Bay due to Nipissing First Nation’s geographic location.

NFN is making arrangements to ensure its members can access food and other items they normally would access through local retail stores. A notice to the community on when and how to access local community food will be posted to the NFN website this week.

NFN reminds local members that we are providing transportation for medical trips and to grocery stores or pharmacies multiple times per week at no charge. These details are also available on our website.

Council again commends the leadership of those NFN business owners who have closed their businesses early to protect the community, and to those providing essential services who must close as of Tuesday in accordance with this decision that was made to protect community safety. We are working to determine how business closures will be supported and will provide an update to business owners soon.

More information about financial aid and other supports available to NFN businesses affected by COVID-19 is available on our website at: https://www.nfn.ca/covid-19-support/.

 

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Filed under: nipissing-first-nation