Ontario Chamber Encouraged by Further Measures Announced by Government of Canada to Support Business

(Toronto, March 18, 2020) – Rocco Rossi, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce released the following statement in reaction to the Government of Canada’s announcement today introducing further measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

“Today, the Government of Canada announced an $82 billion package to support Canadians and stabilize the economy during these unprecedented times. We are encouraged by the action taken today by the federal government with the $27 billion in direct support to Canadian employers and employees and $55 billion to meet liquidity needs of businesses and households through tax deferrals. These measures will help individuals, families and businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

“With the temporary closure of all non-essential travel between Canada and the US, ensuring that critical supply chain infrastructure between our two jurisdictions remains protected and unimpeded will be of critical importance. Along with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, we urge the federal government to further outline to the business community how today’s announcement will apply to specific industries.”

“Many business owners, particularly small business owners, are struggling to react to the pace of disruption, as well as necessary efforts by all tiers of government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health. We call on both the Ontario and Canadian governments to work together on a dedicated resource for Ontario business, something that could be implemented through Service Canada and/or Service Ontario centres.”

“Many businesses are overwhelmed with continuity planning and supporting public health efforts related to COVID-19. We therefore ask the provincial government to put a hold on all pending non-urgent regulatory proposals. The Government of Canada has already announced they will halt calls for comment until further notice.”

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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 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 at michelleeaton@occ.ca or 647-261-4594