Manitoulin officials report decrease in holiday weekend visitors

Members of the Manitoulin COVID-19 Leadership Coordination Committee say fewer tourists came to visit the island this past long weekend.

The committee is made up of ten community leaders, including four First Nations and six municipalities. It recentlyheld its third meeting, chaired by the mayor of the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands, Al MacNevin.

The committee says it will hold a rotating chair format. It's previous meeting was chaired by United Chiefs and Council of Mnidoo Mnising, Tribal Chair Chief Patsy Corbiere. The committee has been meeting weekly since it was created.

The group was created after travel restrictions in some communities on the island started causing tensions.

Some health care officials have also asked non-permanent residents to stay home to avoid putting added stress on the healthcare system.

"Committee members all agreed that, anecdotally, it was clear that the May long-weekend traffic of people and vessels was significantly down from historic patterns," the committee stated in a release.

"Leadership is grateful to see that both island and non-residents alike are heeding cautions concerning non-essential travel and activities."