Careful Reopening Key to Long-Term Economic Success

(Toronto – June 8, 2020) – Today, Rocco Rossi, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce released the following statement in reaction to the provincial government’s announcement:

“Ontario’s business community is ready to get the economy moving. The economy and the health of Ontarians are interdependent, and both must be addressed together.

“We thank the Premier for his continued leadership during this crisis and commend him and his government for pursuing re-opening in a thoughtful, careful, and gradual way. We support a regional approach as the acutely different regional realties have been further amplified by this crisis.

“The most important aspect of a sustainable return to work is the health and safety of employers and employees. Our responsibility to provide COVID-19-conscious workplaces and to ensure that they know that their well-being and that of their families is our first priority. Testing, tracking and tracing will be key for containment of the virus and successful re-opening of the economy.

“While we regret a commercial moratorium is necessary, we are thankful that the Province has taken this step. It allows time for the program to be improved so that more landlords will participate in the program.

“We are also encouraged that the Province’s has signalled its intention to announce a plan on childcare; this will be essential to a successful re-opening.”

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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:
Michelle Eaton
Vice President, Public Affairs
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
michelleeaton@occ.ca or 647-261-4594