The CFIB has also recommended that the government allow non-essential retailers to reopen with “very limited capacity” of three customers and three staff per store. Kwiecinski says the government should either allow non-essential retailers to reopen, or to cordon off non-essential items at big box stores in order to “level the playing field.” The CFIB is also taking issue with the government’s decision to shutter non-essential businesses while allowing big box stores such as Walmart and Costco to remain open. With the policies now in place in Toronto and Peel, they clearly won’t see sales go up, so we may not see those businesses alive in January.” “They were hoping that their sales would go up in this make-or-break holiday season. “For many struggling businesses, this could be the final nail in the coffin,” Julie Kwiecinski, CFIB’s Ontario director of provincial affairs, said in an interview. The Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) are pushing the government to allow non-essential retailers to open, saying the lockdown threatens the survival of many small businesses that depend on the busy holiday shopping season. Some retailers, including grocery, hardware and big box stores, are allowed to remain open with reduced capacity. The province announced last week that starting Monday all non-essential retail stores in Toronto and Peel will be limited to curbside pick-up only for at least 28-days. Of those new infections, 16 were in Barrie.Retail industry representatives are urging the Ontario government to reconsider newly implemented lockdown measures in Toronto and Peel regions, and allow non-essential retailers to reopen for the critical holiday season. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit reported 62 new COVID-19 cases on Friday with 27 more recoveries. Instead of dithers & delays, while more people get sick, Doug Ford should be listening to doctors and taking action now to put new public health protections in place.- Andrea Horwath December 18, 2020 Telling people to stay tuned for more news next week isn’t acceptable. Instead of dithers and delays, while more people get sick, Doug Ford should be listening to doctors and taking action now to put new public health protections in place.” “Telling people to stay tuned for more news next week isn’t acceptable,” said Horwath. NDP leader Andrea Horwath slammed the premier in a tweet for not acting sooner. The Ontario Hospital Association earlier this week urged the premier to put more regions into lockdown. “We are going to continue on with the lockdowns within those regions and will have additional information on Monday for the balance of the province.” “In the areas that are locked down right now that are expiring on Monday, I can tell you they won’t be expiring,” Ford told reporters during an emergency meeting on Friday. We will be continuing emergency meetings this weekend & will be providing an update on Monday at 1pm. Earlier today, I spoke with all CEOs from Ontario’s hospitals to understand what’s happening on the ground. The trends we’re seeing throughout Ontario are very concerning. Premier Ford said in a tweet he will be hosting another emergency meeting of health officials over the weekend and will announce any further COVID-19 measures for the province on Monday at 1 p.m. Simcoe Muskoka and several GTA municipalities remain in the red zone including York Region. Sudbury will see a loosening of restrictions and move into the green zone. Restrictions are also being tightened in Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health, Brant County Health Unit, and Niagara Regions. On Monday at 12:01 a.m., most non-essential businesses in Hamilton will have to close. Hamilton will go into lockdown on Monday, joining Toronto and Peel where grey zone restrictions that were to expire next week will continue until Jan.
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