Roadblocks come down on Manitoulin Island as pandemic fears ease

A non-essential travel ban that had been enacted around M'Chigeeng First Nation has been lifted, CTV News has confirmed. (File)

Sudbury — A non-essential travel ban that had been enacted around M'Chigeeng First Nation has been lifted, CTV News reporter Ian Campbell has confirmed.

The ban was imposed early in May in response to COVID-19 fears. At the time, Chief Linda Debassige said it was an attempt both to keep tourists away from the area to prevent the spread of the pandemic, and to keep residents from leaving and coming back, potentially bringing the virus into the community.

In Debassige's notice of non-essential travel ban, she said they had seen traffic stopping within their borders. They also saw their own members travelling to places like Sudbury and Toronto where the risk of COVID-19 is higher.

"We understand this will cause much frustration and will create a huge inconvenience to all of our citizens and our neighbours," Debassige wrote in her letter.

"However the council has determined that the preservation of life and health of our community is the most important and is the determining factor of this decision."

After objections from other communities to the ban, a group was struck to co-ordinate a joint response, called the Manitoulin COVID-19 Leadership Coordination Committee.

With the pandemic easing, however, and now largely concentrated in southern Ontario, the community has lifted the ban. According to published reports, a similar ban has been lifted in Wiikwemikoong First Nation.

This story will be updated as more information comes available.