The Government of Canada continues to work with partners across the country to protect the health and safety of Canadians by reducing the spread of COVID-19. Isolation remains one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. However, for some people in Canada, crowded housing conditions and costs can make it unsafe or impossible to isolate, putting themselves, their families, and communities at risk.
Today, Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced $4.2 million for the Corporation of the County of Essex to continue to administer a safe voluntary isolation site for temporary foreign agri-workers in the Windsor-Essex region. These workers tend to live in close accommodations and work in congregate settings, which makes it difficult to isolate, if required. The site was previously operated by the City of Windsor and is now being administered and operated by the County of Essex.
The Safe Voluntary Isolation Sites Program (SVISP) directly supports cities, municipalities, and health regions across Canada that are at-risk of COVID-19 community transmission. The sites funded through the SVISP provide an accessible location where people can safely isolate for the required period. Access to these sites is completely voluntary and local public health officials determine eligibility and manage all aspects of the sites.
