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Board of Health calls on province to designate Waterloo Region a High Priority Community

Waterloo Region – Waterloo Region’s Board of Health unanimously passed a motion today calling on the province to provide additional pandemic supports to marginalized communities in Waterloo Region. In November, Region of Waterloo Public Health released data demonstrating the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on Black and racialized community members, and those living with low-income. 

“We know that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted so many people in our community,” said Councillor Kathryn McGarry, who brought forward the motion. “Support from the Province’s High Priority Communities Strategy would help us implement a range of interventions to slow transmission in those higher risk communities and protect our most vulnerable.”

One action recommended by residents was to provide a safe, cost-free place to isolate from household members to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Public Health has launched an isolation program in partnership with, and funded by, the Public Health Agency of Canada to provide a safe place for these community members to isolate. The funding allows Public Health to operate a 54-room program, for a period of up to 15 months. Referrals are made by community partners or through Public Health’s case and contact management process.

Public Health is also working closely with health system partners to identify and deploy additional supports to these communities, including mobile testing. Being designated a high priority community would provide much-needed provincial resources to expedite deployment of supports – as has been done in other communities across Ontario. 

“In Waterloo Region we have been doing what we can to address the particular needs of these vulnerable groups, but we need to do more,” said Councillor Elizabeth Clarke who seconded the motion. “Access to the Provincial funding for high priority communities would support our ongoing efforts and allow us to engage further with community partners in tailored community outreach, wraparound supports and work with our health system partners on increasing access to testing.”

“Racially diverse, newcomer and low-income communities have been impacted more significantly by COVID-19 than others,” said Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang. “These types of supports will help reduce barriers for these communities to accessing services and employing COVID-19 prevention measures.”

For more information, review the Initial Analysis of Socio-demographic Indicators for COVID-19 Cases and Ontario’s High Priority Communities Strategy.