Federal government spent $388M on quarantine hotels across Canada

Article content material

The federal authorities spent almost $400 million on contracts for quarantine resorts through the COVID-19 pandemic, together with almost $80 million in 2022, in line with the newest figures offered by Well being Canada.

Article content material

Tammy Jarbeau, a spokeswoman for Well being Canada and the Public Well being Company of Canada, confirmed in an e-mail on Wednesday that the federal government spent $388.7 million on designated quarantine services between March 2020 and September 2022.

Article content material

Damaged down by monetary 12 months it amounted to $158.5 million in 2020-21, $153 million in 2021-22 and $77.2 million in 2022-23. The 2022-23 12 months got here after many public well being restrictions, together with these round journey, have been eased or lifted.

“The prices related to this program included lodging, meals, safety, traveler assist and transportation,” Jarbeau stated. “The Authorities of Canada has at all times labored to guard Canadians and adapt our COVID-19 response based mostly on the newest science and proof. Designated quarantine services have met public well being pointers for the aim of accommodating vacationers in quarantine as required by emergency orders beneath the Quarantine Act.

Article content material

The federal authorities has designated 38 quarantine services in 14 cities throughout Canada, together with the Westin Calgary Airport in northeast Calgary. Edmonton was additionally among the many 14 cities concerned.

$6.8 million to deal with 15 folks in Calgary by 2022

The most recent monetary figures come after a response to an order doc tabled by Calgary Nostril Hill MP Michelle Rempel Garner revealed Tuesday that the federal authorities has spent greater than $6 million on the Westin in Calgary in 2022, with the lodge that 15 folks have been in quarantine.

Rempel Garner stated Wednesday that the newest figures on Canada have been a “waste” of cash and that they have been overwhelmingly about Canada.

“It was all around the nation and if somebody hasn’t been fired over this, it must be,” Rempel Garner stated. “I believe there are lots of extra questions … Why was this mandatory after quarantine restrictions have been lifted? Did somebody simply neglect to cancel the contract?”

Article content material

Worldwide journey to Canada has been restricted to various levels all through the pandemic, together with a interval in 2021 when most Canadians getting back from non-essential journey overseas needed to take a check and await outcomes at a delegated quarantine lodge till a unfavorable result’s returned.

The federal government’s lodge keep requirement ended on 9 August 2021 for all travellers. Nevertheless, Canadians who weren’t vaccinated have been nonetheless required to self-isolate for 14 days upon getting into the nation.

Quarantine resorts phased out

Jarbeau stated Wednesday that PHAC has finalized shutdown plans with resorts and that there are at present no designated quarantine services left within the nation. She stated public well being specialists stated public well being measures and vaccines have helped stop hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 infections and saved tons of of hundreds of lives throughout Canada.

“These services have been there as an vital measure to cease the unfold and save lives,” Jarbeau stated.

Well being Minister Jean-Yves Duclos stated throughout query interval on Tuesday that defending Canadians’ well being and security was the federal government’s precedence through the pandemic, and reiterated that public well being measures helped obtain that objective.

Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal, whose using contains the Westin, didn’t reply to requests for remark.

dshort@postmedia.com