Aquicon shuts down Toronto construction site due to COVID-19 concerns

TORONTO — Aquicon Construction has shut down a Toronto construction site after a worker tested positive for COVID-19.

“We want to be clear; we do not believe that the individual had been on site when the virus was contracted,” said an Aquicon spokesperson in an email to the Daily Commercial News. “The individual’s last day on the Sherman Campus site was March 17.  The individual did not show any symptoms until March 24, well after he had been on site. He was tested and found positive on March 26.”

Sherman Campus, home to the Lipa Green Centre for Jewish Community Services, is located at Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue in Toronto.

“Aquicon has and is taking every possible measure to ensure everyone on all our sites is safe and is being protected,” the spokesperson stated. “We have adopted several precautionary actions, which are above and beyond those being mandated by the government and its agencies.  Therefore, in order to continue to provide a safe work environment for all we closed the site and are following the protocols listed below.”

In the statement Aquicon it has taken a number of measures on the site including:

The site was immediately shut down and all individuals who had been in contact with the site were advised of the situation through email and or phone call so that they could be quarantined and monitored to prevent any potential spread of the virus. Currently no one who has been in contact with the site is showing any symptoms.
The building and all common areas – washrooms, hallways, stairwells, etc. — have been thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and sanitized by a cleaning company.

The site is anticipated to re-open after the mandated 14 days from the date when the individual was last on site.

“Aquicon, along with those in the medical field, do not believe that the virus was contracted on the site,” adds the email. “We want to ensure that everyone on site feels safe to return to work in an environment that will provide a sanitized work environment for all individuals.”