The Economy and the Health of Ontarians are Interdependent and Must be Addressed Together

(Toronto – May 19, 2020) – As many businesses begin to reopen under new health guidelines, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, and Ontario General Contractors Association released the following statement in response to new business confidence survey results from Campaign Research Inc., Market Research Firm.

“Today’s survey results indicate that employers, employees and consumers need the right tools in place to feel safe and supported as we reopen the economy,” said Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “88% of Ontarians are worried about the economy, with 50% being very worried. Meanwhile, 75% of people in Ontario 18 years of age or older are concerned about contracting COVID-19. This supports what we have been saying all along – the economy and the health of Ontarians are interdependent, and both must be addressed together.”

“The most important aspect of a sustainable return to work is the health and safety of our employees,” said Flavio Volpe, President, Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association. “The results of the survey reinforce 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.”

“Construction workers return to work this week with our assurance that they will be working in safe workplaces,” said Clive Thurston, President, Ontario General Contractors Association. “As industry leaders in health and safety, contractors have put in place orientations, procedures, and the required supervision to ensure workers will resume safely from day one. Our industry is proud to lead in the rebuilding of our economy and remobilize our workforce. It’s time to get back to work.”

As the OCC has previously outlined, the six critical elements to reopening are PPE availability, smart quarantine policies, protection for the most vulnerable, mass testing, contact tracing, and workforce management systems.

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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