More Supports Needed For Business As Province Takes Conservative Steps Towards Reopening

(Toronto – June 24, 2021) – Today, Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released the following statement in response to the Ontario government’s decision to move to Step Two of Reopening Roadmap on June 30:

“While today’s news is a small step in the right direction to safely reopen our economy, many businesses – particularly small business and those in industries hit hardest by the crisis –continue to struggle to survive as they operate under extremely strict regulations. As the indispensable partner of business, we have continued to call for evidence-based metrics for reopening Ontario’s economy as we work together towards a steady, robust, and inclusive recovery.

“The facts are clear about Ontario’s reopening plan: we have achieved benchmarks for Step Three, yet we are taking a modest earlier move into Step 2. With nearly one-third of Ontarians fully vaccinated and our positivity rate dropping to the lowest since early Fall, we urge government to closely monitor the indicators for reopening so we can confidently move to the next stage of a safe reopening of our economy sooner than anticipated. Continued supports, such as an additional round of the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, will be critical to help keep businesses afloat.

“We also need immediate public health guidance for those Ontarians who are now fully vaccinated.

“The Ontario Chamber Network encourages every Ontarian to get their shot as soon as they can to help slow transmission of new variants and prevent a fourth wave. Herd immunity is a key part of curbing the spread of COVID-19 in addition to deploying free rapid tests while that herd immunity is being achieved.”

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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