Ottawa looks for hotels, university residences to house residents in COVID-19 self-isolation

The City of Ottawa is looking at using hotels, university residences to house people self-isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OTTAWA — The City of Ottawa is looking at using hotels and university residences to house people needing to go into self-isolating due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community and Social Services General Manager Donna Gray issued a memo to Council outlining the departments work to protect Ottawa residents during the outbreak.

The memo states staff have explored options through the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association, universities and colleges to house families "who may require self-isolation due to exposure, symptoms or testing positive for COVID-19."

Ottawa-Gatineau Hotel Association President Steve Ball tells CTV News Ottawa that he has sent a memo to hotels to see if they would be interested in working with the City of Ottawa to house families.

Ball says the city is asking for up to 100 rooms to house families.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Ottawa's Director of Housing Shelley VanBuskirk says "the City is actively looking for hotel rooms for vulnerable families who may need to self-isolate due to exposure to COVID-19, be displaying symptoms or have tested positive for the virus."

VanBuskirk says the city is looking for a block of 10 to 20 rooms, "with the ability to expand if needed."

Quebec public health has asked hotels across Quebec to clear beds in an anticipation of an overload of the health care system.  The beds would be for non-infected semi-autonomous patients, not COVID-19 patients.

City of Ottawa staff also reached out to hotels and motels that provide temporary emergency accommodation to provide Ottawa Public Health resources for hotel management, staff and clients. Staff are providing ongoing communications to clients at the hotels.