Toronto, April 16, 2021 – Ontario small businesses share the concern around rising COVID-19 numbers and the resulting burden on our hospital system. Small businesses have continued to shoulder a massive, unfair and disproportionate burden of restrictions throughout the pandemic. They are at the end of their rope. Extended restrictions will be the final step to financial ruin for many small businesses.
Government programs are only addressing a fraction of their losses, and far too many businesses remain ineligible for any provincial government support. It is inexcusable that no additional financial supports were announced by the Ontario government with today’s stay-at-home order extension. This choice will result in thousands of permanent closures and lost jobs for communities across the province. The Ontario Small Business Support Grant should be immediately expanded to cover those firms whose customers can’t support them, even when the business is allowed to remain open. CFIB calls on the Ontario government to follow the lead of other provinces by announcing a third round of funding and immediately deliver answers to those businesses still waiting on decisions from rounds one and two.
It is further disappointing that we are continuing to ignore alternative strategies such as a wide scale rapid testing program in favour of longer and deeper lockdowns that appear to be ineffective. Ontario’s small business community deserves better.
Visit cfib.ca/saveontariobusiness to sign CFIB’s petition calling on the Ontario government to adopt a targeted approach to control the spread of COVID-19 instead of blanket lockdowns.
-Dan Kelly, President, Canadian Federation of Independent Business
-Ryan Mallough, Director of Provincial Affairs for Ontario
-Julie Kwiecinski, Director of Provincial Affairs for Ontario
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Milena Stanoeva, CFIB
647-464-2814
public.affairs@cfib.ca
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 95,000 members across every industry and region, including 38,000 in Ontario. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.
Print Article
Share Article
