In addition to one of our previous blogs on voluntary COVID-19 isolation camps, Public Health Canada announced on December 30th, 2021, that they approved Manitoba for $8 million in funding for voluntary isolation camps out of the $100 million program.
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, The Government of Canada is working with partners to support and create safe voluntary isolation sites across the country. Their newest addition of isolation camps will be created in Manitoba. According to the government, self-isolating is one of the most effective ways to help stop the spread of COVID-19. However, the Government blames crowded housing conditions and associated high costs as unsafe or impossible to self-
isolate as this is putting yourself, your family and your community at risk. So as a result, they’ve decided to spend over $100 million to build isolation camps for the infected. Seems logical right? How many of these families would actually agree to send one of their siblings or parents to an isolation camp when they can isolate themselves in the basement or in their own room? Until we receive more information in understanding the Government's intentions and motives for the camps, it looks like they have an alternate motive besides voluntary self-isolation.
Through the Safe Voluntary Isolation Sites Program, the Government of Canada has provided over $100 million to municipalities to create isolation camps in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. This funding is part of Canada’s response to limit the spread of COVID-19. Curious as to why the government has not launched any campaigns or provided funding to promote healthier lifestyles and being more sanitary before launching isolation camps. Since their first camp opened in Toronto, in September 2020, over 14,000 people have sought shelter.
With all the mandates the government has been enforcing, such as masks and vaccines, the isolation camps are the most extreme measures to date. Moving forward, it’s difficult to predict what’s next, especially with the government's approved funding of $100 million in funding for isolation camps across the country. All we can do is take real, safe measures that are applicable to our everyday lives, such as increasing physical fitness, keeping our home and places of work clean, and increasing our personal hygiene.