TORONTO — Following the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ontario government is reducing the list of businesses classified as essential and ordering more workplaces to close. This measure is necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of the people of Ontario, while ensuring that necessary goods and services remain available.
The government is ordering all businesses not covered by the updated Emergency Order to close effective as of Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. This closure will be in effect for 14 days, with the possibility of an extension as the situation evolves. Teleworking, online commerce and other innovative ways of working remotely are permitted at all times and are strongly encouraged for all businesses. All supply chains necessary for the production of vital food and healthcare supplies are being protected and remain intact.
The updated essential businesses list can be found here.
“We are facing a critical moment in the fight against COVID-19 and we must do everything in our power to keep everyone safe and healthy and prevent our health care system from being overwhelmed,” said Premier Ford. “Everyone must do their part to stop the spread and flatten the curve. If you are not an essential business, you need to close your doors, work from home if possible and play a role to help contain this outbreak. This is a matter of life and death.”
As a temporary measure the Ontario government has revised the list of essential businesses. The updated list will direct additional businesses to close and restricts specified businesses to providing services by alternate methods such as curb side pick up and delivery, except in exceptional circumstances. This includes stores that sell hardware products, vehicle parts and supplies, pet and animal supplies, office supplies and computer products and repairs and safety supplies.
“We have now reached a critical time in our fight against COVID-19.” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health “Every step taken by the province and every effort made by each of us to avoid close contact with others are the key to our success as a province to stop the spread of this virus.”
Only critical construction projects will continue, including industrial projects such as refineries and petrochemical plants and infrastructure projects such as new hospitals, roads and bridges. New starts in residential projects will stop, while residential construction that is near completion will continue. Business-owners with questions concerning their essential business status are encouraged to call the Stop the Spread hotline at 1-888-444-3659. The hotline is available from 8:30 a.m.― 9:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8:30 a.m.— 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
“We recognize the toll this outbreak is taking on business owners and workers,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Ontario businesses are top of mind during this unprecedented time. We know that the only way to ensure the health of our businesses and our economy is to ensure the health of all Ontarians.”
The government is implementing additional measures to protect frontline workers in essential businesses by adding more than 60 special consultants and officers and doubling the number of phone agents at its Health and Safety Call Centre to 50 to make it easier for workers to report safety concerns. Workers worried their workplaces are unsafe can phone 1-877-202-0008 to speak with an agent.
“If you’re a worker on the frontlines of this outbreak, you should know we’re doing everything in our power to keep you safe at work,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “We’re beefing up our inspectors and making it easier for you to report your concerns. We’re working around the clock.”
TORONTO — The Ontario government is reducing the list of businesses classified as essential and ordering more workplaces to close. It says this measure is necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of the people of Ontario.
GR is about to close, highway barriers at every entrance, and a new gatehouse with porta-potties at the city 17b entrance.
Wheres the list located?
And Canadian Tire??
All this is happening because people are not staying home and not self-quarantining. Closing everything so people have no where to go. Keep ignoring the rules, it will only get worse and last longer.
Laurie Lahaie k
Travis Barb I sent u a message
I’m sorry, but if one in 10 million people could make any sense at all out of the numbers they are tossing around about this virus, that would be a miracle…Everyone will just look at the biggest numbers and scream OH MY GOD.. Yes, it is serious, but fear mongering won’t solve anything.. I hope Trudeau’s numbers, when released, make more sense.. Ford and Trump should both go to Trumps golf course and stay there for the duration.. Neither one of them are helping the situation.. Stay apart, people, it’s the best thing you can do
what has Trudeau done other than not closing flights off a month sooner ?
all good
pets need food
Pet supplies are on the list, plus all grocery stores stores sell pet food
not the same quality
My brothers cats have a special diet cat food..hope it will be available.
we have a rabbit—hay and pellets in a grocery store— not
Kill the rabbits and eat them problem solved
went through another lineup today at the pet store—-very sad
Tony Spadafora Stores that sell any of the following items and provide them to the customer only through an alternative method of sale such as curb side pick-up or delivery, except in exceptional circumstances:
Hardware products.
Vehicle parts and supplies.
Pet and animal supplies.
Office supplies and computer products including computer repair.
Safety supplies.
Tony Spadafora it’s a dog, suck it up for the time being or stock up on good stuff today to last the two weeks
Melanie D’Orazio ok whatever you say
Tony Spadafora Try Amazon!
Melanie D’Orazio I tried sucking it up when this all first started and all the stores were sold out of everything. Grabbed a different, cheaper food. The result was my dog barfing and shitting all over the entire house for days, because the food I bought was crap.
Learned my lesson, and stocked up next chance I got…yuuuck. lol
Tony Spadafora I feel ya, we also have rabbits 😍🐇 I tried Amazon…they wanted $130 for the same bag of hay I get elsewhere for 10 lmao.
I ended up getting it, eventually.
tx—people do not get it —i care for our pets—our responsibility
Melanie D’Orazio “it’s a dog? It’s a living creature thank you very much. It needs food just as much you do. Maybe you suck it up !
so are the motels being shut down also.
Tony Spadafora pet smart is open
all good—-our pets will endure —tx melanie
Melanie D’Orazio that’s like saying, it’s a child, suck it up….. a piece of work, you are
Tony Spadafora call my brother Pat at Foremost Pet Foods. He will make sure you get what you need. 705-759-2559
Rebecca Aubertin I completely understand. Our daughters fur baby needs to have a special dog food or reacts the same. So we need this food for sure.
Christina Corbiere call my brother Pat at Foremost Pet Foods. He will surely help if he can. 705-759-2559
June Henderson call my brother Pat at Foremost Pet Foods. He will definitely help if he can. 705-759-2559
Tony Spadafora they can stay open but they have to offer curb side pick up, so ordering ahead, you will not be able to go in to shop.
Jill Andrews Um a child which is a human and a dog aren’t same level lady
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