Following an announcement last week from the Ford government, local nurseries and garden centres have taken precautions so they can serve their customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 4th was the first day nurseries and garden centres could offer curbside pickup and delivery options, although there has been some confusion around the provincial government’s rules.
The province has since announced as early as Friday, May 8, garden centres and nurseries will be able to open for in-store payment and purchases, operating under the same guidelines as grocery stores and pharmacies.
On May 4th, Bill Martin’s Nurseryland said they were choosing to stay temporarily closed as they work behind the scenes to ensure customer and staff safety. They have yet to indicate on social media if they will be reopening on May 8th.
During the pandemic, they have and continue to offer contactless curbside pick-up.
The company on social media thanking their customers for supporting them through these tough times.
Vanderwees Garden Gallery is open and has safety protocols in place including limiting the number of people in their store and other physical distancing measures.
The company is also asking customers to put on a mask before entering the store.
Creekside Nursery and Garden Centre is also open during the pandemic. They’ve widened their aisles by taking out benches, installed sanitization stations, and are wiping down carts every time someone finishes using one.
Operations Manager Steven Fontaine says they are feeling better after the Ford government said they could open under safety guidelines.
“We are definitely breathing a little bit easier and we are seeing positive reactions from the people who are coming into the store. Our stress levels are going down and it’s great to see our customers happy,” Fontaine said.
“I personally, from working on the floor, have had positive interactions. Everyone is practicing social distancing and we’ve had good feedback from our customers,” Fontaine added.
They are also offering contactless curbside pick up and encourage you to use that method.
Trevisanutto’s Greenhouses, Landscape and Design are only allowing 30 people in their store at a time.
The company stated on social media that they’ve widened their aisles and for those aisles that are too narrow, they have made them one-way only.
Customers must also wash their hands at a sanitization station before entering.
In making the decision to offer curbside pick up and some access to garden centres and nurseries, Premier Doug Ford said, “nothing is better than going to the garden centre, grabbing some plants and going in the back yard and planting them.”
Ford said it gets people outside and is good for their mental health.
As early as Friday, May 8 at 12:01 a.m., garden centres and nurseries will be able to open for in-store payment and purchases, operating under the same guidelines as grocery stores and pharmacies.
Hardware stores and safety supply stores will be permitted to open for in-store payment and purchases as soon as 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 9.
On Monday, May 11 at 12:01 a.m., retail stores with a street entrance can begin offering curbside pickup and delivery, in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s Guidance Document for Essential Workplaces and occupational health and safety requirements.
