Peel Public Health ordered the shutdown of a shift at the Canada Post Gateway West facility because of the recent COVID-19 outbreak. Some 90 workers and managers will stay in isolation at home for 10 days.
Canada Post facilities all over Toronto and Peel have been heavily hit by the COVID-19 outbreak and even one worker died. Canada Post stated that the Shift 3 employees in the Toronto Exchange Office will need to leave the offices until May 7.
The notice said:
“Peel Public Health gave us this direction under [its] Section 22 order on workplaces with COVID-19. Public Health says this is necessary to contain further spread of COVID-19 at this stage, keep our workplace and families safe, and protect our healthcare system.”
The workers are concerned with these new developments.
Qaiser Maroof of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers commented:
“Members are scared because we’re in a huge plant, we’re all sharing the same roof basically. The vaccine is not available for my members, and we need to get help with this.”
Maroof added that Canada Post is shifting its mail processing to other plants in order to minimize the damage that the shutdown has caused.
Canada Post has recently released a statement:
“Given the significance of the [Toronto Exchange Office], we are adapting existing contingency plans to manage the impact on customers. More details will be available soon.”