Frustration Grows Amongst Ontario Business Community Amid Third Wave

(Toronto, April 1, 2021) – The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released the following statement today:

“Ontario’s business community is frustrated seeing our Southern neighbours being inoculated while we wait. The lack of vaccine supply means fewer vaccines in arms. Delays in distribution are heavy blows to businesses going through further restrictions and lockdowns. The lack of clarity, consistency, and predictability around what warrants changes in lockdowns adds to this growing frustration in Ontario.

“We strongly believe public health and a healthy economy are interdependent. The third wave and ICU capacity being at a critical level leave us greatly concerned; you cannot pave the path to recovery without first controlling the virus, particularly with new strains aggressively spreading throughout Ontario. We need to get the virus under control so businesses can open and stay open during key Summer months – where many of our members anticipate recouping revenue lost during lockdowns.

“Ontario business have repeatedly expressed their concerns about inconsistent and unclear public health guidelines that trigger a region’s shutdown, insufficient testing and tracing capacity, and lack of data on the sources of community spread. Along with the Ontario Vaccination Support Council, we call on all levels of government to work together to vaccinate Ontarians, so we can fully reopen businesses, bring people back to work, and get the economy moving.”

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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
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
cearacoppsedwards@occ.ca | 647-936-6734