STURGEON FALLS, Ont. — Protesters are planning another demonstration outside of Sturgeon Falls long-term care home Au Chateau, located at 100 Michaud St. The protest date is set for Family Day — Monday, Feb. 20 — from noon until 2 p.m. The goal is to pressure the Au Chateau board to revise the home’s vaccine policy to allow those unvaccinated against COVID-19 to work at the facility.
Demonstrations occurred in mid-January, as well. Protesters walked the street outside the home to demand that visitors unvaccinated against COVID-19 could enter the building to visit loved ones. The home’s policy at the time insisted visitors must be fully vaccinated in order to enter.
Soon after the protests, the board did revise its policy, and now those without a the shots can enter as visitors.
See related: Come February, unvaccinated visitors can enter Au Chateau
Now demonstrators are hoping the board alters the policy further to allow those without vaccinations to be able to work within the facility. Au Chateau is facing staff shortages, and “staff are ready to start today” if those restrictions were lifted, organizers explained in a release.
See: Attracting staff is the main challenge for Au Chateau care home
Rejean Venne, one of the organizers of the event, noted there will be community members and former employees planning to attend Monday’s demonstration. He mentioned, “there are approximately 10 staff in town that have left or been let go because of the Covid vaccination rules.”
“We think the home should remove these arbitrary rules and welcome back all qualified and trained health care workers,” he added.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
