Many local businesses have closed their doors soon after the worldwide pandemic was declared on March 11. Yet, the Canalta Hotel on 601 First Avenue West managed to keep their doors open, although many adjustments had been introduced. These changes were required because of the present circumstances affected by COVID-19.
“People have always stayed with us because we’re clean,” General Manager Sophie Morrison recounted, clarifying the hotel staff had employed a mandate where transparency and safety for all guests was paramount – meaning every corner of the hotel was continuously sanitized to prevent the spread of harmful germs long before the pandemic’s arrival.
With the onset of COVID-19, the hotel had to increase their sanitization efforts by implementing new measures designed to prevent viral transmissions.
The hotel’s updated policies included a high-touch cleaning log for all of Canalta’s properties. All high-touched areas must be cleaned hourly (or sooner if required). Handwashing stations in the laundry room, washrooms and breakfast prep areas are continually restocked.
Team members are obligated to wash their hands before starting shifts and every 15 minutes thereafter. Hand sanitizer and disposable gloves are used on a recurrent basis.
Workplaces and housekeeping carts, desks, telephones, keyboards, pens and other objects are habitually wiped with disinfectant.
All departments are compelled to wear face masks with the exception of front desk staff. Yet, if front desk staff members prefer to wear masks to protect themselves from possible exposures, they are allowed to do so.
Also, PPE disposal bins have been placed throughout the hotel’s workstations. Walkie talkies are cleaned and sanitized after use. Newspapers and reading materials have been removed from the breakfast room, which is presently opened at a 50 per cent volume because of social distancing regulations. All breakfasts are bagged at this time.
Note that the fitness centre, spa tub and steam room in Assiniboia’s Canalta location are still closed until further notice.
In similarity with many other businesses, plexiglass was installed at the desk in the Assiniboia Canalta to protect their frontline staff. Also, social distancing marks were attached to the lobby’s floor and other public areas.
In respect to the health of the hotel’s staff and visitors, whenever a guest requests a stay for 14 days, if they aren’t corporate, the guests are asked if they’re staying for this specific length of time in order to place themselves into self-isolation because of the virus.
“If a guest is in self-quarantine, no one is permitted in the room for 14 days. They can’t enter public places [in the hotel] and their food is delivered,” Morrison said.
So far, none of the hotel’s guests have been in self-quarantine.
Although some of the staff hours have been cut, the general mood of the Canalta employees in Assiniboia is optimistic.
“Our team has a good stress level. I think we’ve been managing quite well,” Morrison said. “Although some of the staff hours have been cut due to limited services and to ensure the safety of the staff during the pandemic, the overall morale for the Canalta squad in Assiniboia has remained very positive."
The reasoning behind cut hours might seem contradictory, especially during a pandemic where extra cleaning is critical. However, as Morrison explained, “The cutbacks are only temporary and only affected departments where their service was shut down or limited due to health authority and governmental rules during the pandemic, or due to childcare closures and staff needing to stay home with their families.”
Morrison is anticipating the moment when the hotel can operate just as the establishment did before the pandemic appeared. “Our hope is to have a full staff again once the health authorities allow us to open up more of our services for our guests,” Morrison concluded.
