Hillary Johnstone

A closed Kanata hotel is in the midst of being retrofitted so it can accommodate patients from Ottawa's Queensway Carleton Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sixteen hospital beds are&nbsp;being installed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites on Terry Fox Drive, which decided to close its doors to guests once the pandemic was declared.

Many hotels could remain closed for good, Ottawa hotelier says

One Ottawa hotelier says he fears that many hotels could remain closed for good if the federal government doesn't step in with targeted financial support for the industry.

Denis Gilles fears that it will take years for the tourism industry to bounce back to its pre-crisis levels.

denis gilles ottawa hotel

The hotel industry is calling for more support from the federal government to help it weather the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites Ottawa

The beds won't be for patients with COVID-19, however, but rather&nbsp;for those who can safely be cared for outside of a traditional hospital setting.

That will shore up more room inside the hospital for those sick with the novel coronavirus, according to Lianne Learmonth, a clinical director at the Queensway Carleton Hospital.

"It's like an extension of the hospital," she said.

"We've identified a group of patients that [have] fairly low-care needs&nbsp;and ... would be in a safe location off-site."

The vast majority of patients who will be transferred to the hotel are seniors, Learmonth said.&nbsp;The hope is they'll begin moving in by the end of April.&nbsp;

Province asks hospitals to pause transfers&nbsp;

Earlier this week, the province sent a memo to hospitals telling them 

to temporarily pause transitioning patients to long-term care and retirement homes.

Lianne Learmonth is the director of medicine, geriatrics, chronic disease management, and discharge planning at the Queensway Carleton Hospital.

Lianne Learmonth Queensway Carleton

The directive is part of the provincial government's plan to protect those homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 100 of the 626 long-term care homes in Ontario already&nbsp;dealing with outbreaks.

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Outside the Almonte Country Haven long-term care home, all the worried sons and daughters of the people inside can do is wave, and wait.

Cora Marchand

Cora Marchand stands outside Almonte Country Haven, where her 88-year-old mother is in isolation. Eighteen people have so far died from COVID-19 at the long-term care home in Mississippi Mills, Ont.

Carleton Place rallies around care home with COVID-19 deaths

Signs of support are going up around Stoneridge Manor in Carlteon Place, Ont., where two residents have died of the COVID-19 respiratory illness and nearly 50 residents and staff have been infected.

Residents in Carleton Place, Ont., have painted signs with messages of support for residents of the Stoneridge Manor long-term care home. As of April 12, 2020, two people had died at the home from COVID-19.

Stoneridge Manor carleton place covid-19 home signs support

Brendon Pacey waves through a window at the Stoneridge Manor home in Carleton Place, Ont., at his 102-year-old grandmother. The long-term care home near Ottawa has had two residents die from COVID-19, while nearly 50 staff and residents have come down with the respiratory illness.

Brendon Pacey stoneridge manor grandmother COVID-19 outbreak

The beds at the Kanata hotel will all be designated as "alternate level of care," or ALC.

"The&nbsp;hotel was an option that was given by the Ministry of Health ... for hospitals to look at, to house ALC patients," said Learmonth.

The second floor is now in the midst of a makeover, with carpets being swapped for hard flooring and a call bell system being installed.

Learmonth said the hotel could eventually have up to 32 beds.

She said hotel officials have been "extremely helpful and responsive" to the hospital's&nbsp;plans.

Marriott, which owns the Fairfield Inn and&nbsp;Suites, told CBC News it couldn't answer specific questions about the Queensway Carleton Hospital's plans.

Queensway Carleton Hospital officials say they're planning to open a dedicated floor with 16 beds at the Fairfield Inn and Suites on Terry Fox Drive.

Closed Kanata hotel being retrofitted into hospital ward

Province asks hospitals to pause transfers

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