St. Catharines Farmers Market set to reopen on May 23

The St. Catharines Farmers Market is preparing to reopen next week with a “laundry list” of safety protocols set to be put in place.

The city says the market will open its doors to the public on May 23 after being shut down as part of the province-wide closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our patrons have been looking forward to this day for a while now, and our vendors have been counting on it as well,” said Community and Market Coordinator Deanna Chakarova in a news release.

She added the market won’t have its normal social feel as patrons will be asked to move through without their typical chat with vendors.

“Things will be a little different, you won’t be able to pickup and inspect your produce to find just the right pick, but the market will once again be open, serving up the best Niagara has to offer,” Chakarova said.

The market will offer a full range of produce, meats, cheeses, wines, and baked goods.

It will also have newly-introduced safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 including the following:

• Admittance of only one customer at a time
• No more than 16 customers will be allowed inside at any given time
• Customers must sanitize their hands before entry
• Pairs or groups will be asked to have only one individual enter the market.
• No handling or sampling of food will be permitted; vendors will set up a display table to showcase their products but sale items will be stored behind the table for completion of customer orders
• Maintaining a safe physical separation of two metres from other shoppers, including in the entry line
• Distancing and traffic-flow lines will be clearly marked outside and inside the market
  Reusable bags will not be permitted for the time being

All customers and vendors must also wear a face mask or coverings due to limitations on other typical preventative measures like sneeze guards. Wrapped scarves, bandanas, surgical masks, and face shields will be considered acceptable face coverings.

The city says only farmers and vendors selling food items will be featured during the State of Emergency. Vendors selling beauty supplies, flowers, crafts, and other non-food-chain products will not be featured.

Vendors will also face a host of new restrictions and protocols to help limit the spread of COVID-19, including:

• Mandatory use of face masks
• Preferred use of electronic payments, cash payments will require a second individual whose sole duty will be handling of cash
• Maintaining a two-metre separation when possible with patrons and fellow vendors who do not reside in their household
• Prepackaging of products when possible
• Frequent hand washing/sanitization
• Self-assessment for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms

The city says the market will run on a limited schedule moving forward, on Saturdays only from 8 a.m. to noon.

Customers can also access a new online shopping portal where they can place an order and it will be prepared for pickup at the market the following Saturday.