First Nations COVID-19
Response in Manitoba
Prepared and managed by
Press confernce follows AMC Executive Council of Chiefs (ECC) meeting to discuss the COVID-19 plan and approved an initial framework for the AMC’s COVID-19 response, which includes postponing all AMC events, encouraging Manitoba First Nations to develop local pandemic response plans, coordinating with provincial emergency teams for medical supplies, and maintaining regular regional meetings to report to all First Nations leadership and potentially provide sanitation packages.
The CERB to provide financial support to employed and self-employed Canadians who were directly affected by COVID-19. Eligible applicants receive $2,000 for a 4-week period between March 15, 2020 and September 26, 2020
First Nations leadership start implementing precautions in Nations to combat COVID-19.
Soux Valley Dakota Nation sent a community notice for the closure of public buildings.
Little Grand Rapids First Nation (LGRFN) closed band office and school, and remained the nursing station open for local emergencies only.
Pauingassi First Nation sent a notice of suspension of governmental operations and closures.
Assembly Of Manitoba Chiefs and Chiefs of the Southern Chiefs? Organization (SCO) declared a States of Emergency.
Learn more about the Manitoba First Nations Pandemic Coordination Team
The Indigenous Community Support Fund (ICF) is to design and implement community-based solutions to prevent, prepare, and respond to the spread of COVID-19. Funding totaled approximately $2 billion from March 2020 to March 2023.
Four in Winnipeg and one each in Brandon, Thompson, Flin Flon, The Pas, and Selkirk.
Public Health Orders are put in place to to limit gatherings to 50 people, limit capacity at hospitality premises, and closure of wellness centres, bingo, and gaming events.
Orders for non-critical businesses to close, public gatherings limited to 10 people, down from 50.
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) and Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. (KIM) collaborated with Mental Wellness Services in Manitoba to offer virtual mental wellness supports to Northern First Nations.
Non-essential travel to Northern Manitoba, north of the 53rd parallel, is restricted, with limited exceptions. These restrictions were lifted and reinstated multiple times, as they were instrumental in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 within First Nation communities in the region. The decision to maintain or lift these travel restrictions was made in close collaboration between First Nation leadership, the Manitoba First Nations Pandemic Response and Coordination Team (PRCT), and the provincial government.
The limited exceptions to the travel restrictions in Northern Manitoba typically included essential travel for activities such as:
Medical reasons: Access to healthcare services, including appointments, emergencies, or specialized treatment.
Essential workers: Travel for individuals providing essential services, such as healthcare workers, first responders, and supply chain workers.
Delivery of goods: Transport of critical supplies like food, medical supplies, and other necessities.
Government and public safety: Travel for government officials, law enforcement, or others involved in maintaining public safety and order.
Family reunification: In certain cases, travel for the purpose of family reunification or caregiving responsibilities.
These exceptions were subject to strict regulations and oversight to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Student Summer Jobs Recovery Program is a wage Subsidy Program for private and non-profit employers to hire students to help with Manitoba?s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government began sharing First Nations COVID-19 Daily Reports with local First Nation leaders, regional health authorities, and the Manitoba First Nations Pandemic Response and Coordination Team (PRCT). These reports assisted in planning and preparedness efforts for the pandemic. The data of the reports utilized multiple sources to identify First Nations, including identifiers collected through the COVID-19 vaccine consent form, investigation interviews, the Indian Status Registry records, case reviews, and household-based familial linkages.
Manitoba announced a multi-phase plan to reopen the province, starting with non-essential healthcare and retail businesses which would be allowed to reopen on May 4. The second phase of reopening the economy would start no earlier than June 1. Additional personal services, like nail salons, were allowed to reopen on June 1. Bars, tattoo parlours and movie theatres would be the last businesses to reopen according to the recovery plan.
Health care workers asked additional questions to those who were COVID-19 positive focused on race, ethnicity and/ or Indigenous identity to help with contact tracing.
Resolution passed by Executive Chief Council to cancel the 2020 AMC annual general assembly and election for the AMC Grand Chief, and to extend the term of office of the current Grand Chief for one year until the 2021 AMC annual general assembly.
The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) provided financial assistance to post-secondary students and recent graduates unable to find work due to COVID-19. Eligible applicants received $1,250 per 4-week period (up to 16 weeks) between May 10, 2020 and August 29, 2020. An additional $750 per period was available for those with disabilities or dependents.
Despite travel restrictions, Manitoba Hydro brought in up to 1200 staff from various regions, including COVID-19 hotspots. To prevent the virus’s spread, the Tataskweyak Cree Nation and Fox Lake Cree Nation blocked access to the construction site. An agreement was later reached to address the concerns the project was able to continue. However, in November 2020, an uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak occurred at the site, AMC, MKO, KIM, and the four First Nations criticized Manitoba Hydro’s lack of preparedness and called on the Prime Minister of Canada to urgently address the situation.
AMC supports prioritized applicants who have not receieved support from their First Nation, Tribal Council, or other First Nation organizations, Red Cross, or other government organizations.
Businesses such as gyms, nail salons, and tattoo parlours reopened, with strict measures in place. Guidelines to resume patient visits at hospitals were released later. Victoria General Hospital had a pilot project allowing outdoor visits for medically stable patients to visit with family and loved ones.
Back to Work Program is a new Wage Subsidy Program to get more people back to work this summer and ease the road to economic recovery for businesses. The program reimbursed 50% of total wages paid from June 18 to August 30. Totally $120 million budget was set for this program and the Manitoba Summer Students Recovery Program.
The change allowed people traveling from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, as well as people living in the area of northwestern Ontario, west of Terrace Bay, to visit Manitoba without having to self-isolate for 14 days if they were not showing symptoms and had no known exposure to COVID-19. Restaurants were able to reopen at full capacity, as long as tables and seating were arranged so there were temporary or physical barriers, or two metres of separation between the people sitting at different tables.
Manitoba announced a modified version of the reopening which began July 25. After public feedback, the final version of Phase 4 included more cautious measures:
Gathering sizes:
Indoor gatherings were allowed to expand to 30% of the venue’s capacity or up to 500 people for outdoor gatherings, with appropriate physical distancing in place.
Travel restrictions:
The mandatory 14-day self-isolation requirement remained in place for travelers coming from Eastern Canadian provinces (Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada) and international destinations, with exemptions for some essential workers.
However, travelers from Western Canada and Northern Ontario were no longer required to self-isolate.
Personal care homes and long-term care facilities:
Visitors were allowed more flexibility to visit residents, including indoor visits in designated visitation rooms, as long as they followed specific health guidelines.
Religious services, funerals, and weddings:
Capacity for these events were expanded, again with a focus on physical distancing measures. Larger indoor events occured as long as capacity did not exceed 30% of the venue?s total.
Retail and personal services:
Businesses such as retail stores, salons, and personal care services continued to operate with restrictions on occupancy, ensuring that public health measures such as mask-wearing and sanitization were followed.
Restaurants, bars, and theatres:
These venues were permitted to operate at 50% capacity, with measures to ensure physical distancing between patrons.
Casinos and movie theatres:
Unlike the original proposal, casinos and movie theatres remained closed due to concerns about the risk of large, enclosed gatherings.
Masks will be mandatory in Manitoba for students in grades 4-12 when school starts.
Fisher River Cree Nation received $11 million from the Surplus Food Rescue Program to rescue up to 2.9 million pounds of freshwater fish (walleye) caught from inland lakes of Canada. Working with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, the surplus product will be distributed to more than 75 Indigenous communities throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the North.
The four colour-coded response levels are:
? (Red) Critical ? community spread of COVID-19 is not contained and/or there are significant strains on the health-care system;
? (Orange) Restricted ? community transmission of COVID-19 is occurring, public health measures are being taken to manage the negative impact on human health and/or the health system;
? (Yellow) Caution ? community transmission of COVID-19 is at low levels; and
? (Green) Limited risk ? the spread of COVID-19 is broadly contained and a vaccine and/or effective treatment is available.
Fox Lake Cree Nation initiated a community lockdown after public health officials reported a confirmed COVID-19 case involving an individual who had been in Gillam.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Canadian Red Cross, offered training opportunities to 500 First Nations members in Manitoba as part of an initiative to support mental health and well-being in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges. This initiative provided First Nations communities with valuable tools for coping with emotional and psychological distress, and grief. The training involved two key online courses: The Psychological First Aid Self-Care and Psychological First Aid Caring for Others
Fisher River Cree Nation reported a COVID-19 case which was the first known case of the virus in a First Nation in Manitoba. The same day the neighbouring Nation, Peguis First Nation reported its first two cases.
Fisher River Cree Nation implemented Check Points at entrances into the community to monitor travel in and out of the community.
Peguis First Nation upgraded the Emergency Road Check Points to residents only.
One from the Tataskweyak Cree Nation and the other from the York Factory First Nation. They were living off reserve and outside of the Northern Health Region, which complicated the tracking of the virus and caused fear among some communities.
Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) to provide financial support to employed and self-employed Canadians who were directly affected by COVID-19 and were not entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) to provide income support to employed and self-employed individuals caring for a child under 12 or a family member due to COVID-19-related reasons.
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) to provide income support to employed and self-employed individuals unable to work due to COVID-19-related sickness, self-isolation, or increased risk.
A Rapid Response Team (RRT) was deployed to the York Factory First Nation after a family of seven tested positive for COVID-19. RRT started rapid testing for close contacts of the family. Since September 2020, RRTs have been deployed to First Nations communities for COVID-19 testing. The RRT operated within federal and provincial systems, with the Red Cross assisting in planning.
After 19 people in the Nation tested positive for COVID-19, Little Grand Rapids responded quickly urging residents to stay home, get tested when symptoms arose, and restricted travel in and out of community.
Rapid Reponse Team members were deployed to help with the response.
Public health orders were issued including reducing the maximum size of gatherings to five people.
Multiple individuals in Pimicikamak Cree Naiton tested positive for COVID-19 following a public warning about a person who tested positive attended a funeral.
The PRCT began producing daily and weekly COVID-19 Bulletins, providing high-level analysis of testing and hospitalization among First Nations people in Manitoba. Subsequent reports on Tribal Councils and vaccinations were also published and regularly updated.
Manitoba Bridge Grant Program was a Wage Subsidy Program that provided $5,000 to each business and organization required to close under current public health orders. The program was later expanded and extended to protect more small businesses in the province.
To protect health care workers and ensure the stability of the health care system, the Manitoba government announced that health care workers with direct patient contact who met certain criteria would be the first priority group to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
During the holiday season of 2020, a team of advanced care paramedics were deployed to help in three northern Manitoba First Nations communities: Wasagamack, Oxford House, and Shamattawa. These paramedics volunteered their time off to support local health services.
Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Norway House, Fisher River Cree Nation, and Peguis First Nation were the first to receive COVID-19 Moderna vaccine doses. These Nations were prioritized due to the presence of personal care homes and/or elder homes within the community.
A SERDC AIA site opens to service those living in their tribal areas who need to isolate because of COVID-19 with substance use concerns.
Representatives from the Manitoba First Nations COVID-19 PRCT, in partnership with AMC, MKO, SCO, KIM, FNHSSM and the Manitoba government, were celebrating the opening of a new pop-up site to assist and provide vaccines to First Nation Traditional Healers, Knowledge Keepers and Health-Care Workers.
AMC partnered with the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba and the North West Company to package 20,160 protective face masks and begin the distribution to all 63 First Nations Early Learning and Child Care programs in Manitoba.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact children, youth, and families in Northern Manitoba, Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO) launched a series of online workshops for MKO citizens to help address and improve their mental wellness, especially focusing on young people. This initiative stemmed from an analysis of over 1200 responses gathered through an online survey for youth from MKO communities conducted in early March.
Outdoor gathering limits were increased from 10 to 25, and in-store capacities for retail stores expanded to 500, maintaining a 50% capacity limit.
AMC, KIM, MKO, SCO started the Manitoba First Nations COVID-19 Vaccination Survey for the research on the factors that may influence people’s decision to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
From Apr. 14 to Apr. 17 administering a total of 850 vaccines.
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO) partntered with the Swampy Cree Tribal Council (SCTC) to provide Oscar’s Place in The Pas with space repairs, plexiglass barriers, safety resources, and living supplies through Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) funding.
Households allowed to have two designated visitors indoors, while the capacity of retail stores was limited to one-third the capacity of the store or up to 333 patrons.
The organizations involved were:
Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg
Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre
Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corporation (in partnership with Portage Urban Indigenous Peoples Coalition)
Brandon Friendship Centre
Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre
No indoor gatherings were permitted, while outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people were allowed in public outdoor spaces only.
to provide direct financial assistance to help fill gaps between federal programming and current provincial employment standards for paid sick leave. Employers would be provided with up to $600 per employee for up to five full days of COVID-19-related sick leave.
closing restaurants, bars, patios, gyms, fitness centres, museums and day camps.
Campaign encouraged vaccine confidence and uptake among young First Nation people throughout the province. This grassroots campaign was an effort led by the Southern Chiefs Organization Inc. (SCO), Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO), Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. (KIM), the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba (FNHSSM) and the Manitoba government.
Manitoba is one of the first jurisdictions in the country that allow young people to book Pfizer vaccine appointments.
Special Conditions.
No outdoor gatherings with anyone from outside a household were allowed.
The new orders encouraged people to stay at home and required employers to allow employees to work from home for the next two weeks.
A strategic plan launched for increased openings and reduced restrictions with immunization targets as benchmarks for reopening.
70% of Manitobans aged 12 and over receiving their first dose and over 25% receiving their second dose by Canada Day,
over 75% receiving the first dose and over 50% receiving the second dose by the August long weekend,
and over 80% receiving the first dose and over 75% receiving the second dose by Labour Day.
Small outdoor gatherings on private and public property allowed.
Most facilities opened to 50% capacity, with up to 5 people for indoor gatherings at private residences, up to 150 people for public outdoor gatherings, and up to 50% capacity or 500 people for retail businesses.
Most facilities were open to 100% capacity, with a shift towards emphasizing public health recommendations over restrictions as the province transitions from pandemic to endemic COVID-19.
PRCT strongly recommended First Nations people continue to wear masks in indoor public spaces especially for those who are not fully immunized, including children under 12.
The province began offering third doses of mRNA vaccines to immunocompromised people and for individuals who might choose to receive a third dose for travel purposes, while also setting out policies to guide medical exemptions to immunization. Offered to the general public 10-Nov-21
CWLB provide temporary income support to employed and self-employed individuals unable to work during COVID-19 lockdowns. Eligible applicants can receive $300 weekly for each designated 1-week period between October 24, 2021, and May 7, 2022.
Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata offered school immunization catch-up for kids.
Flu and Pneumococcal Clinics in the Northern Health Region officially opened, which provided COVID-19 vaccines.
Health Canada authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11 years of age.
The province accelerated plans to reduce public health restrictions, including moving the response level from Restricted (orange) to Caution (yellow) on the Pandemic Response System, eliminating capacity limits in various venues, and ending self-isolation for close contacts and travelers entering the province.
The response level of the whole of Manitoba, including schools, moved from Caution (yellow) to Limited Risk (green) on the Pandemic Response System, effective March 15. The COVID-19 enforcement fines for violating public health orders and physical distancing guidelines expired on the same day.
The province encouraged Manitobans to celebrate the success of the provincial COVID-19 vaccine campaign, with the highest percentage of fully vaccinated people in the prairie provinces at more than 85%.
To collect COVID-19 at home rapid antigen tests (RAT) results to improved the availability of quality data for reporting the true impact of COVID-19 on First Nations peoples in Manitoba.
The province tightened the previous public health orders and launched new orders to address the increased threat of the Omicron variant, effective December 21. New capacity restrictions were added to gatherings, while indoor and outdoor sporting and recreation capacity was reduced to 50% for spectators.