Ottawa earmarks $4.8M for migrant worker isolation and recovery sites in Windsor-Essex

More funding is coming from Ottawafor COVID-19isolation 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 allowthe two sitesto keep running until June 30. It will cover400 rooms fortemporary foreign workers, a population that has beenparticularly hard hit byCOVID-19 because they livein close quarters.

A media release from the minister's office saidthere has been a "surge in demand in the region already this year."

The City of Windsor announced last month that ithopes to transition out of running the programby 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 towork in farms and greenhouses.