Trudeau Government Says It’s Working to Address Quarantine Hotel Complaints
March 2, 2021 Jim Byers
With complaints mounting about poor service and a lack of food at quarantine hotels, the Canadian government says it’s working to address the problems.
Guests at airport quarantine hotels in four Canadian cities say they’ve been given inadequate or cold meals and had their food delivered hours late. Others have complained they have medical conditions and can’t eat just any meal they’re served.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Ministry of Health said in a statement that they understand there are problems.
“We’re aware of reports that some travellers have experienced issues with food and accommodation at government-authorized hotels during their mandatory, three-night hotel stopover,” they said in an email to 680 News Toronto. “The Public Health Agency of Canada is working directly with hotel partners to find solutions to these issues.”
Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner again is calling for the Liberal government in Ottawa to suspend the hotel quarantine plan.
“It’s fair to say that this is a violation of Canadians’ rights,” she said. “The federal government should be ashamed of themselves.”
The Canadian government last Monday (Feb. 22) began requiring all arriving air travellers to be tested for COVID-19 upon landing. They then must stay in a government-approved airport hotel for up to three days while they await their quarantine results.
The hotels cost up to $2,200 for three nights, though many are about half that price. The hotel cost is supposed to include security, transportation and meals.
About the Author
This was a stupid plan from the beginning and full of bureaucratic mistakes that have cost people money for a needless stop. If the idea is to quarantine for fourteen days, obviously just going straight home is the best idea without this needless stop with the potential of exposure to viruses. This stupid idea fell apart right from the beginning and needs to be scrapped.
But it deflects from the poor vaccine rollout. The virus is not spreading through the community it is from all the travellers. Is that not obvious by people leaving after one day with negative tests and the hotels being able to turn the room over several times for on average of 1200 per night.