The death of two temporary foreign workers in Windsor-Essex due to COVID-19 has led to a ban on workers entering the county from Mexico.
Mexico's ambassador to Canada says his country won't send any more temporary foreign workers to Canada until it has more clarity on why two died due to COVID-19.
According to Gomez Camacho, it’s believed 300, Mexicans have been infected with the virus in Canada, at least 200 of which are in Windsor-Essex according to medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed, and Camacho says his government needs assurances that the situation can be brought under control before allowing more workers to arrive.
Because of this, as many 5,000 temporary foreign workers expected to arrive in Canada in the coming months are being held back.
The outbreaks were cited Monday as the reason Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the region can't follow in the footsteps of others and loosen restrictions designed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Ford was quick to say people shouldn't blame the workers.
"They came here, they self-isolated for two weeks and they picked it up since they've been here," he said.
"So I don't want any finger pointing at these hard-working migrant workers. They're good people, they mean well, and they're hard workers too."
Mexicans make up about half of the temporary foreign worker population employed in the agriculture sector, which in 2018 meant there were 25,060 people employed on farms, in greenhouses and other related jobs.
Speaking on AM800 News Tuesday morning, Dr. Ahmed also says he is getting sick and tired of the blame game surrounding the testing of migrant workers in Essex County.
According to the Widsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) there are currenlty outbreaks at nine agriculture facilities, six in Leamington and three in Kingsville.
The list of businesses in Windsor-Essex experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks as of June 12, 2020. (Image courtesy of Windsor-Essex County Health Unit)
— With files from CTV News & The Canadian Press