THE CITY OF WINDSOR OFFICE OF THE MAYOR ------------------------------DREW DILKENSMA, YDBORA The Honourable Patty Hajdu Minister of Health Health Canada 70 Colombine Driveway Ottawa, Ontario, Canada KlA 0K9
[email protected] The Honourable Bill Blair Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Public Safety Canada 269 Laurier Avenue West Ottawa, Ontario, Canada KlA 0P8
[email protected] September 18, 2020 RE: Temporary Foreign Worker Recovery Centre Minister Hajdu and Minister Blair, Our region is requesting urgent financial support to maintain an Isolation and Recovery Centre for guest agricultural workers affected by COVID-19. Windsor City Council has authorized Administration to support this initiative and will be the co-ordinator of any funds and agreements with the Canadian Red Cross and others as needed to support this initiative. Our local Medical Officer of Health has suggested that it is imperative to continue to provide isolation space for those who may require it in order to prevent another crisis. Earlier this summer COVID-19 caused numerous outbreaks in the agricu ltural sector in Essex County and challenged the capacity of employers to provide space to isolate. Despite utilizing over eight sites to try to contain outbreaks, in some cases the appropriate supports were not in place and unfortunately two workers passed away. While agriculture is an industry across the Country, our region is unique due to the volume of workers - an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 guest workers who stay for varying lengths of time - and the size of the farms. Over 60% of Ontario's greenhouses ca n be found in the Leamington/Kingsville area, and according to the Windsor Essex Development Corporation, these producers represent $1 billion in farm gate value.