Need more financial support to better deal with the rising
number of cases of COVID in Brampton
For the past few weeks, I have been speaking out for more financial support to better deal with the rising number of cases of COVID in Brampton. I believe we need more testing, sick benefits for COVID patients and an isolation centre in Brampton. I want to thank Premier Doug Ford and the Honorable Steve Clark, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, for providing resources to implement a High Priority Communities Strategy to contain the COVID virus in high-risk neighbourhoods. The strategy will take a tailored, community-based approach to make people aware of available services and assistance, coordination of increased testing opportunities, and wraparound support arrangement for those who are COVID-positive.
It is so important for Brampton residents to get tested and self-isolate when they test positive. The provincial government’s announcement is investing up to $42 million to establish isolation centres in priority neighbourhoods in Durham Region, Peel Region, The City of Toronto and York Region, which is very welcome news. Many high priority neighbourhoods in Brampton have registered high COVID-19 infection and low testing rates and face socio-demographic barriers to testing and self-isolation.
Peel Region’s funding will support an additional 700 isolation beds to be brought onstream across those areas in January, with funding committed to March 31, 2021. This week’s provincial announcement for Brampton means three isolation locations, of 140 beds each, areas to be determined in the coming days.
I look forward to working with my council colleagues and Dr. Lawrence Loh, the Medical Officer of the Health, on the implementation plan. This is good news for our community. We must protect the health and safety of our residents. I want to thank the residents for following the advice of public health officials. I also want to thank all our health care workers and first responders for their continued efforts. By working together, we will save lives.
