'Significant chance' of COVID-19 outbreak led to Emerald Lodge evacuation: city

There wasn't a COVID-19 outbreak at Emerald Lodge when the city evacuated the building on Friday, but if the virus did find its way inside the Hamilton care home, the city says it would have spread fast because of the state of the facility.

Paul Johnson, director of Hamilton's emergency operations centre, said it was an "anxious time" because there was no advance notice of the evacuation.

He listed a number off "significant" issues at Emerald Lodge. Those included breaches in fire and property standards bylaws, he said.

"Some of the pieces that residential care facilities must adhere to under the schedule of activities were not being followed," he said, "and there were also public health concerns."

"In the midst of this pandemic, we were very concerned that if COVID were to enter the home, it would have a pretty significant chance of spreading. So there were multiple issues, but also staffing issues, security issues and an overall sense of worry around care."

Johnson said the city didn't initially plan to evacuate the home on Friday, but the situation "continued to deteriorate," and the city couldn't find someone to secure the home and keep it running.

The home is owned and operated by a numbered company, with Stefanie Martino as its director, says the city. However, a receiver, Grant Thorton Ltd., has been appointed. The city says the receiver terminated the operator of the lodge on Friday.

As of May, corporate records also named Martino as the administrator of the Rosslyn Retirement Residence, which was evacuated following a COVID-19 outbreak that infected 64 residents and 22 staff members. Sixteen people died.

The city says some of Emerald Lodge's windows were broken, and are now boarded up. Locks have also been changed.

City looking for permanent housing for residents

While some of the roughly 35 residents made their own accommodations, the city says, others are in temporary housing at the former Cathedral Boys School, now a shelter for Hamilton's homeless population.

Johnson said some residents are seniors and will need "senior-level care," but younger adults were also staying there.

The city is looking for permanent housing for them, but the process will take a few days.

"For some, other residential care facilities in the city could be an option," Johnson said.

"We're also working with other housing providers and community organizations to see whether there are supportive housing environments that might work a little better ... Because the makeup of the people who live there was all demographics and all ages, it'll be a combination platter of places within the community."