• Provincial review

News Release: March 30, 2020

Region of Peel mobilizing to prevent and manage spread of COVID-19 among Peel's homeless residents

Brampton, ON (March 30, 2020) – In response to risks associated with COVID-19, the Region of Peel has rapidly mobilized to protect Peel's most vulnerable residents in its shelter system.

Additional protocols and programs have been put in place to prevent and manage the spread of COVID-19 in all Peel shelters and transitional housing facilities, and in the street outreach program.

Protocols include:

• personal protective equipment is provided for shelter residents and staff
• occupancy levels have been reduced to support appropriate physical distancing guidelines
• hotels are being used to manage overflow due to reduced occupancy levels
• health screening of all residents entering the shelters and staff is ongoing
• health checks of all residents are ongoing
• extra cleaning is being done in all facilities, including to high touch areas such as door handles, light switches, tables, chairs, railings, etc.
• meals are catered, delivered pre-packaged, pick-up times are staggered to reduce the number of people having meals at the same time
• signage is posted with guidelines for self-protection, e.g., hand washing and physical distancing.

We continue to help people who are currently in the shelter system to find permanent housing.

An Isolation program was established on March 21, 2020 for clients who are being tested for COVID-19 or have risk factors for possible exposure to the virus and who are unsheltered or cannot self-isolate in specific facilities:

• current capacity to offer self-isolation to over 40 individuals
• clients are referred through the shelters or the street helpline
• Paramedics visit daily and Peel Public Health follows up with clients by phone while they await test results in isolation.

A Recovery program for those recuperating from COVID-19 will begin to operate shortly:

• includes medical and program supports as required
• Peel is working with community partners to start this program as quickly as possible
• partners include Services and Housing in the Province (SHIP), Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Public Health, the Local Health Integrated Networks (LHINs), the hospitals, Paramedics and TransHelp

Street Outreachis operating daily and available through the Street Helpline (1-877-848-8481)

• operating Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends
• the team is providing homeless individuals living on the streets with health screening, public education on physical distancing and referrals to public health, primary care providers and the isolation program as required
• homeless encampments will remain in place as they aid in preventing COVID-19 spread
• we are actively working with our partners to improve access to washrooms, showers, laundry and food for the street homeless and new solutions will be in place this week.

We have reached out to housing providers on how to mitigate their risks, including cleaning guidelines, closing of common areas, holding virtual board meetings, and on how to support all tenants such as accommodating late payments or alternate arrangements, not charging late fees, and postponing evictions as per provincial direction.

For details of each plan and guide, please visit: peelregion.ca/coronavirus/housing/

Visit peelregion.ca for Regional services impacted to help slow the rate of the COVID-19 virus.

Media contacts

David Hodkin
Communication Specialist
Region of Peel
Tel: 905-791-7800 ext. 4674

Gehna Singh-Kareckas
Manager, Strategic Client Communications
Region of Peel
Tel: 905-791-7800 ext. 8448