Newmarket-area governments and businesses are reeling as Rogers outages affect the country but some services remain intact.
Businesses and organizations across town have reported impacts due to the telecommunications network being down. But some locales can carry on or are offering a reprieve from the outage.
The Town of Newmarket says its facilities are still running fine, including the Magna Centre, Ray Twinney Recreation Complex and Newmarket Public Library.
“Town of Newmarket facilities are not affected by the Rogers network outage,” the town said. “Residents are welcome to visit one of our facilities to tap into the wi-fi.”
Rogers has not yet put out an explanation as to the outage, or when its services will be back up.
“On behalf of all of us at Rogers, we sincerely apologize to our customers, and we will continue to keep you updated as we have more information to share, including when we expect service to be back up,” the company said on its social media.
Several businesses throughout town have reported being unable to access pay machines, making some services cash-only.
Southlake Regional Health Centre said it has initiated its internal incident command centre due to the outage, with no clarity on when connectivity may return.
"Our dedicated team of staff and physicians are working through these challenges in order to meet patients’ needs now and through the weekend," Southlake said. "While our internet and phone systems are available, our ability to connect with community partners, off-campus operations, and directly with our patients is hindered."
York Region said its corporate contact centre remains available, though there may be delays.
York Region Paramedics said 911 is still available, though asked for patience if calling.
“We are continuing to follow developments due to the network outages impacting the population,” the service said. “If you have a network connection, please check in on friends and family who may not have coverage, particularly if they are at a higher risk of requiring emergency medical services.”
York Regional Police said its communications centre is still operating, and officers are still responding to calls for service.
Central York Fire Services also said it is not impacted and its crews are ready.
"Please check in with your neighbours and have a plan for how you will contact emergency services in the event of an emergency," the fire department said.
Here are other local places reporting outages. The list will be updated:
- The Main Street BIA said many of its businesses are functioning without access to payment options and most are taking cash. It noted there is an ATM available at Times Convenience.
- The Newmarket Chamber of Commerce says its phone systems are town and its team is working remotely.
- The Town of Aurora says its facilities are open and its programs are running, but only cash can be accepted. It said it cannot take program registrations or facility bookings. It said its phone lines are currently down.
- York Catholic District School Board indicated that its summer school programming is impacted, with virtual school cancelled.
