Kingston retirement home fails to comply with COVID-19 guidelines

A local retirement home has been served by Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) Public Health for failing to comply with Ministry of Health guidelines in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to KFL&A Public Health’s list of enforcement actions resulting in tickets, summons or closures, Kingsdale Chateau retirement home, located on Kingsdale Avenue in central Kingston, was served by Public Health on Monday, Jul. 6, 2020. This citation was enforced under the Health Protection and Promotion Act as a Health Hazard Order, resulting from an offence that either took place or began on Thursday, May 28, 2020.

KFL&A Public Health’s website stated the citation was issued because the retirement home “failed to implement requirements for the COVID-19 Guidance Congregate Living for Vulnerable Populations for congregate group settings issued by the Ministry of Health.”

Kingstonist has reached out to KFL&A Public Health for details as to what requirements were not implemented, if Kingsdale Chateau was fined (and, if so, how much they were fined), if the retirement home has already corrected the issue, and if any further actions will need to be taken. At time of publication, Public Health had not responded to these inquiries.

Update (Wednesday, Jul. 8, 2020):

In response to the aforementioned questions posed to KFL&A Public Health, Kingstonist has received the following response:

“KFL&A Public Health will not release specific details about an Section 13 order.  We would release more information if we were concerned regarding an outbreak of an infectious disease,” Jenn Fagan, a Media Relations Officer with KFL&A Public Health said in an email on Wednesday, Jul. 8, 2020. “Section 13 orders are issued and if the operator does not comply, a fine may be issued. At this time an order has been served and, as of today, has been lifted as all requirements were met.  No fine will be issued.”

When asked for more specifics on what a Section 13 order is, Fagan directed Kingstonist to Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Guidance: Congregate Living for Vulnerable Populations online (available here). Fagan confirmed that KFL&A Public Health will not divulge any further information on this matter.

Additionally, Kingstonist received correspondence from Atira Retirement Canada, which runs Kingsdale Chateau here in Kingston.

“We are pleased to announce the order issued to the Kingsdale Chateau community was lifted, and the community is in full compliance with the requests of the KFL&A Public Health. While we respectfully disagree with the order, we cooperated with the KFL&A Public Health to address it,” Leo Mirabile, Regional Vice President of Atria retirement said in an email.

“Beginning on March 4, we put strict protocols in place that were in adherence to, and in some cases went beyond, the guidelines we received from local, provincial and national officials. These protocols have been successful in preventing an outbreak of COVID-19 within our Kingsdale Chateau community. We will continue to collaborate with local health authorities on a regular basis and follow their guidance. We’re thankful that as of July 8, no residents or employees of Kingsdale Chateau have contracted COVID-19.

“Our primary focus is and always has been on the health, safety and well-being of our residents and employees as we navigate this unprecedented pandemic together,” Mirabile concluded.