TORONTO -- Hundreds of Mississauga city employees have been temporarily laid off, some for the second time this year, due to the COVD-19 lockdown.

In a news release issued on Tuesday, officials said that approximately 1,100 part-time employees who work at city facilities have been temporarily let go effective Dec. 7. The majority of the employees were part-time workers in community services.

“This decision is especially difficult given the hard year we have all had,” Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said in a statement.

“The City is facing significant financial pressures as a result of this second lockdown. In order to be fiscally responsible, we must take action to respond to the facility closures and their impact on our operations. This is not where we wanted to be. But I truly believe that Mississauga can come together, right here and right now, to get this situation under control.”

The City of Mississauga first issued temporary layoff notices to about 2,000 part-time employees in April as the province grappled with the first wave of the pandemic and the province shuttered non-essential services in the area.

As more businesses were allowed to reopen over the summer and early fall, some of those 2,000 employees were recalled, the city said. Others chose to resign while some were seasonal workers and were no longer needed.

But last week, Peel Region and Toronto were placed under another lockdown order as COVID-19 cases continued to climb. Under the lockdown, more businesses and establishments were forced to close, including a number of city facilities.

“With the closure of these facilities and the cancellation of all indoor team sport activities, indoor in-person recreation programs and cultural programs, the City of Mississauga is temporarily laying off 1,100 part-time employees from our recreation and culture teams who work at these facilities,” Lori Kelly, director of human resources for Mississauga, said in a statement.

“Some of these part-time employees are being laid off for a second time this year due to COVID-19 restrictions and required facility closures and program cancellations.”

Ontario health officials logged 373 new cases of COVID-19 in Peel Region on Tuesday.