The Ontario government has given Peel Region funding to open two more isolation centres in the community next week.
The centres, which will be opening on Jan. 18, will provide space for approximately 200 people at sites in Brampton East and Malton.
“It gives a voluntary option for a worker, an essential worker to isolate if they test positive,” said Brampton mayor Patrick Brown.
He said that for some people living in Peel, isolating at home can be virtually impossible.
For many low-income workers, the cost to rent a room to isolate in for two weeks is financially crippling.https://6fe0610aa55beae145aaf7faa2bd16ec.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
On Dec. 21 the province announced funding for Peel to open more isolation centres, setting aside $42 million to set up facilities across the province.
Now, the region consistently sees more than 500 positive cases daily, with one in five tests for COVID-19 coming back positive.
“Additional isolation capacity is always welcome,” said Dr. Lawrence Loh, medical officer of health for Peel.
The region has been operating an isolation and recovery site in Mississauga at an undisclosed location, with space for 40 to 80 residents.
He said that anyone being referred to the region’s isolation centres will be matched with a site closest to their home.
