Cottagers barred from Hiawatha First Nation near Peterborough to prevent the spread of COVID-19
HIAWATHA-Hiawatha First Nation has established a checkpoint station to stop non-permanent residents from entering the area or travelling through it.
Cottagers and other seasonal residents with property at Hiawatha, or those who must travel through the reserve to access their property, are not being allowed access.
Upon arrival, volunteers at the checkpoint are asking permanent residents to provide their driver's license or a bill, for proof of permanent residency.
Otonabee-South Monaghan Township Mayor Joe Taylor said he hopes people will understand the objective of the checkpoint.
"In order to protect that community and the outline area, which includes our township, I'm hoping that our residents will be patient with this slight inconvenience and work with Hiawatha First Nation to make sure that this accomplishes exactly what it's intended to do, and that's to make it safer for everyone," he said.
Last week, Taylor witnessed people who came up from the GTA who weren't complying with Ontario government and health official rules.
"We have a boat launch on Indian River in Keene. There were six vehicles at that boat launch. Based on the stickers that were on the vehicles from where they were sold, they were all from the Markham, Whitby, Scarborough area - all from the GTA," Taylor said.
Each vehicle had at least three occupants, while some had four or more, he said.
"It's impossible for me to believe that the occupants of each vehicle were all coming out of the same households," Taylor said.
"So what I was witnessing was completely flying in the face of the best medical advice that we can get, and that is to avoid non-essential travel, to self-isolate at home, avoid any gathering, and to stay within your own community.
"I was disappointed, frustrated and somewhat angry when I witnessed what I saw. And what I experienced, every other mayor in every other township around Rice Lake has also experienced."
According to Taylor, in Ontario, the GTA is the "hot bed" for COVID-19.
"So how many folks do you want travelling out of the GTA into your community right now. Like really truly none," he said.
"Coming up to your cottage for a weekend or a week right now is not essential. You have a home already, you should stay there."
Despite the strong recommendation of putting any non-essential travel to a halt, Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones said many cottagers feel they have the right to be able to do what they want.
"The whole reason we're saying this is because the provincial health authorities, as well as our own health unit, are saying please stay home, don't go to your cottage, and let's get this situation over with," Jones said.
"It's got nothing to do with whether we want cottagers or don't want cottagers. Of course we want them, we welcome them with open arms. The bottom line is, we're trying to save people's lives and we're trying to stop this virus from spreading."
Jones said he understands cottagers' frustrations.
"I've got a cottage too that I can't go to, so I get it," Jones said.
With cottagers continuing to come, the county won't have enough resources if there's an outbreak, he said.
"We only have one hospital. Not like the GTA where there's lots of them," Jones said.
Trent Lakes Mayor Janet Clarkson said hospitals won't be a concern until there's an outbreak.
"The trick is to make sure that we isolate to the point that we don't get to that," she said.
Clarkson said there will be another surge of cottagers arriving to the county in the middle of May.
As of right now, there are no plans to establish other checkpoints in Peterborough County, Jones said.
Curve Lake First Nation added a similar checkpoint earlier this month because of the pandemic.