Travellers complain about food, organization at Canada quarantine hotels
Travellers returning to Canada are reporting delays in bookings and services at the mandatory government-authorized quarantine hotels.
The mandatory quarantine hotel for international air travellers went into effect Feb. 22 to reduce non-essential travel, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.
There are 42 government-authorized quarantine hotels across the four major cities where international flights are allowed to land—Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal. The three-night stay at the hotels is mandatory (at the traveller's own expense) until travellers receive a negative COVID-19 test, taken upon their arrival in Canada.
Travellers have taken to Twitter to share their concerns regarding their hotel experience in hopes of getting the government's attention.
The chaos has led people to share their frustration on Twitter calling it a 'boondoggle, 'human rights violation', and 'COVID jail'.
Here's what people have shared about the quarantine hotels, from delays in booking to meals that are lacking:
Canada's mandatory hotel quarantine is a human rights violation. Going without water and food is simply unacceptable. People are unable to book hotels yet fined because nobody is taking their call! You never know a person's situation, there are many reasons for traveling #cdnpoli
— Allison Furlong (@AllisonFurlong) March 1, 2021
@JustinTrudeau @Canada @fordnation @CanBorder @GovCanHealth super fun day attempting to book quarantine hotel for 24th that I spent 15 hours trying with zero results! Love being disconnected repeatedly! Can't wait to do it all over again in the morning! #sarcasm #Canada #bigfail pic.twitter.com/9z8MfEwQOn
— Sandy Lynch (@SandyMargarita) February 23, 2021
Here at Sheraton Gateway Terminal in Toronto
Boondogle 3 days of this this so poorly ran I not going call 3 world country I don’t won’t insult them This not Quarantine
When have to to lobby get food and water pic.twitter.com/CdSVJQrNxM— Ray Truesdale (@RaySuperurass) February 27, 2021
@CBCAlerts not all going well with new 3day quarantine hotels in Canada il prepared no food or water available at hotel have go to lobby with 30 other people this not quarantine crazy at Sheraton at terminal 3 boondoggle pic.twitter.com/H4XQ1RyjrP
— Ray Truesdale (@RaySuperurass) February 26, 2021
Travellers have also shared photos of the meals they received during their stay. Complaints include cold and stale food, as well as wrong the dietary food such as chicken being served to vegetarian people.
This what being served in one quarantine Hotel Sheraton gateway airport Toronto 50 dollars ordered at 4 pm got delivered at 10 pm pic.twitter.com/bw50W7yXzy
— Ray Truesdale (@RaySuperurass) February 28, 2021
Sheraton please monitor your staff as they are serving non vegetarian food to Vegan people. If hotels are understaff then why to do hotel quarantine and making people suffer.Need my money back for such poor service @JustinTrudeau @sheratonhotels @CBCNews @CTVNews pic.twitter.com/ErV5QJO7HJ
— shine (@shine28878733) February 26, 2021
(1/20) Is Canada a 1st or 3rd world country?
Here’s a thread on my girlfriend’s experience in the mandatory quarantine hotel. #LoveIsNotTourism #LoveIsEssential #HotelQuarantine pic.twitter.com/TpuK4tuY2Z— Mark Ct🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@ASAPCT) February 26, 2021
I'm on the same boat, gluten and dairy free and these have been the meals they have sent me. Terrible terrible experience. pic.twitter.com/bUYrEus8qZ
— Cami Pulido (@CamilaP72462982) February 26, 2021
Food is here but.. $300+/night and the food is for lack of a better word, mediocre. @blogTO y'all should cover hotel quarantine food in your videos. Toronto's home to the worst food possible for a $300/night room. @HamptonByHilton https://t.co/eS2utDBat6 pic.twitter.com/fnkzuubtO3
— Christopher G.P. (@GP_Christopher) February 28, 2021
@CP24 @JustinTrudeau @fordnation Quarantine hotels are not working right! My mom is being charged for food she can’t eat bc of allergies and didn’t order they lost all of her food orders but are telling people to pre order..the hotels don’t have a system #quarantinehotels pic.twitter.com/NzZUFi9xMj
— nataliesweetz (@ziadenatalie) February 26, 2021
What $400 bucks a night gets you for meals in Canada's new quarantine hotels for incoming travellers. https://t.co/IzbnUhWglZ pic.twitter.com/NHF1fOJTMd
— Randal Oulton (@RandalOulton) February 24, 2021
The government says they have employees and security personnel stationed at the quarantine hotels to support travellers, yet the conditions inside the hotels and prior to arrival are raising questions.
"Canada’s hotel community is actively supporting the Government of Canada’s mandatory quarantine requirements and the Public Health Agency of Canada is in daily contact with hotels to support their needs," said a representative from Health Canada and Public Agency of Canada Media Relations.
In addition, the government says they are working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, local law enforcement, and third-party security companies screening officers to complete in-person visits.
"Travellers can expect these screening officers to identify themselves, show their company identification, and will ask to speak to the traveller by name, and ask him/her a series of questions related to their quarantine," said a representative from Health Canada and Public Agency of Canada Media Relations.