Governments at every level must do more for workers and their families. When it comes to rent relief, the cancellation or abatement of rent, evictions, and utility payments, are what is needed.
The people of Ontario were looking for stability, and assurances that vital public services like health and long-term care, and social assistance received funding increases that would meet the demands and pressures of COVID-19. In this rapidly evolving crisis, it is not clear that today’s economic and fiscal update has risen to meet those needs.
“The Premier continues to say that workers should ‘stay home when [they] are sick,’ when he knows very well that it is impossible for workers to follow that directive if they do not have paid leave and other supports,” said OFL President Patty Coates. “Ontario is only as healthy as the most vulnerable person in our province.”