Ottawa earmarks $4.8M for migrant worker isolation and recovery sites in Windsor-Essex
Funding will cover the operation of 400 rooms until the end of June
More funding is coming from Ottawa for COVID-19 isolation and recovery centres in Windsor-Essex.
On Friday, the federal health minister, Jean-Yves Duclos, announced an additional $4.8 million for the City of Windsor to run two COVID-19 isolation sites for temporary foreign workers in the region's agriculture sector.
"Protecting agri-workers, especially those who are supporting Canada's food chain and economy, is a priority for our government," Duclos said. "The additional funding to support the operation of these safe isolation sites in Windsor-Essex will continue to help protect temporary foreign workers and the community from the spread of COVID-19 and variants of concern."
The funding will allow the two sites to keep running until June 30. It will cover 400 rooms for temporary foreign workers, a population that has been particularly hard hit by COVID-19 because they live in close quarters.
A media release from the minister's office said there has been a "surge in demand in the region already this year."
The City of Windsor announced last month that it hopes to transition out of running the program by July, and other municipalities or agriculture groups will have to apply for funding to continue the operation of the program.
About 10,000 workers come to Windsor-Essex each year to work in farms and greenhouses.