Windsor-Essex health unit rescinds instruction to halt entry of temporary foreign workers

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has done an about face just days after instructing all businesses in the region to halt further plans to bring in temporary foreign workers for at least three weeks.

The health unit’s acting medical officer of health’s instruction would have affected roughly 2,000 migrant workers.

At the time, Dr. Shanker Nesathurai said the southwestern Ontario region was grappling with a significant surge in COVID-19 outbreaks at agricultural enterprises. Within the span of a week, the region’s self-isolation hotel for migrant workers had filled and at least three additional hotels were also used in the self-isolation effort.

But at 6:30 p.m. last Friday, the health unit rescinded the Letter of Instruction. It stated that enough additional capacity for isolation had been secured to allow for the change.

“Throughout the week the health unit has worked with all levels of government to formulate a resolution to this issue,” the health unit said in a statement.

“With the concerted efforts of local leaders in the healthcare, housing, and social service community the region collectively was able to establish the level of support necessary to meet isolation requirements for workers who are sick or who have been exposed.”

COVID-19 outbreaks among temporary foreign workers has been an issue throughout the pandemic. It has helped draw attention to the living conditions of migrant workers across Canada.

In December, an auditor general report found that the systems intended to safeguard temporary foreign workers working in Canada’s agricultural sector have “provided little assurance of protection” for their health or safety during the pandemic. Nesathurai said last Wednesday that there has been continuing dialogue between stakeholders and government officials but more could be done.

“Have there been significant changes between last year and this year? I’m not confident there have been significant changes.”

The Migrant Workers Alliance For Change described the initial instruction as another example of blaming for COVID-19 outbreaks on migrant workers “when the last two years have proven that it is abysmal living and working conditions that is the cause.”

After the instruction was rescinded, the alliance called on the provincial and federal governments to “do more to ensure” the safety of workers, including access to PCR testing, proper safety equipment, and full and permanent immigration status for workers.