The Migrant Farm Worker Isolation Centre in Windsor will remain open thanks to continued funding from the federal government.
Windsor West MP Brian Masse urged Ottawa to continue funding last week.
Medical Officer of Health Doctor Wajid Ahmed said the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit supported the application to keep funding flowing from senior governments after an agreement with the Red Cross expired last Wednesday. The City of Windsor has taken over operations of the centre.
Mayor Drew Dilkens tweeted Friday Public Safety Minister Bill Blair had signed off on it. Currently, the plan is to extend the agreement every 30 days.
No migrant workers are staying at the isolation centre right now, but Ahmed told BlackburnNews.com experience has shown how a small number of cases can rapidly balloon.
"We have seen how one or two cases can lead to 20, 30, and sometimes even 40 cases that require self-isolation," he said. "Without having the ability to self-isolate properly, our community is at risk."
Ahmed hopes the funding becomes ongoing, rather than month to month.
"The idea behind it is, they don't want to pay for services which no one will use," explained Ahmed, adding he does not expect any more gaps in funding.
There are cases in the agri-food sector in Windsor-Essex, but Ahmed said the farmers are choosing to isolate the workers on their own.
As many as 10,000 migrant workers arrive in Windsor-Essex each year to work on the region's farms and in the greenhouses.
