The Premier is defending his decision to reopen parts of the province and refusing to offer paid sick days.
Despite warnings from medical experts (including SMDHU’s Dr. Charles Gardner), who say the reopening plans could lead to a third wave of COVID-19, Doug Ford says the government won’t hesitate to use an “emergency brake” to swiftly move regions back into lockdown if cases start to spike again.
He said we’re not reopening, we’re transitioning into the province’s COVID-19 Response Framework.
Ford has also dismissed widespread calls for Ontario to legislate paid sick days, calling the idea a “waste of taxpayer dollars.”
The Premier said yesterday that the federal government already offers a paid sick day program: The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit.
The federal program offers a maximum of $900 support for up to two weeks, but is primarily for people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Public health experts and municipal leaders are calling for a provincial paid sick leave, arguing essential employees choose to go to work with COVID-like symptoms rather than self-isolate due to worries of lost wages.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 variants continue to be a concern across the country and that has the Prime Minister issuing a reminder to Canadians to remain vigilant to prevent the spread of the virus.
Justin Trudeau says there are major concerns now that more contagious variants are circulating in every province across Canada.
Today, I wanted to make something very clear: there’s already a program with the federal government that offers 10 paid sick days.
This is an important program and all elected leaders owe it to hardworking Ontarians to raise awareness about it.
Apply: https://t.co/PrISjJkcsB pic.twitter.com/a2GpVguQ8I
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) February 16, 2021