Careful and Gradual Reopening Critical

(Toronto – February 8, 2021) – Today, Rocco Rossi, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce released the following statement in reaction to the province’s gradual reopening plan announced today.

“Getting this right is critical – we don’t want to see another spike in cases which could trigger another lockdown, prolong the crisis and further depress consumer confidence. Clear and consistent communication and guidelines will be important determinants of the plan’s success.

“Today’s announcement aims to gradually re-open some of Ontario’s regional economies based on local trends of key indicators, including lower transmission rates. We have been calling for a coordinated and gradual reopening on the economy, however; we are concerned today’s news risks creating confusion among business and consumers if new rules around re-opening aren’t aligned with stay-at-home orders in certain regions of the province.

“The OCC along with chambers of commerce and boards of trade across the province wrote to the Premier last week calling for a coordinated approach to reopening Ontario’s economy, ensuring society reopens for business in a harmonized fashion that prioritizes individual safety as well as economic stability. We also called for the widescale implementation of rapid testing and a more robust tracking and tracing regime to inform decisions around closures and openings.

“We welcome steps so that our province and economy can emerge stronger. Most certainly retail businesses will welcome their ability to reopen under restricted capacity. The business community will continue to prove their commitment to safety protocols to protect their workers and customers to keep their doors open.”

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About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.

For more information, please contact:
Ceara Copps – Edwards
Manager, Public Affairs
cearacoppsedwards@occ.ca| Mobile: (647) 936-6734