
Photo: Huron-Bruce Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa Thompson
In the wake of Ontario’s second stay at home order — and third state of emergency — the MPP for Huron-Bruce says some measures are place for small business owners.
Progressive Conservative Lisa Thompson tells Country 104.9 News the 2021 provincial budget had the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in mind, when being written.
Thompson points to the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, which will cover between $10 thousand and $20 thousand in lost revenue for tourism and hospitality businesses affected by the latest province-wide shutdown.
She also points to provincial funding available to cover costs for PPE and lost wages, as supports for families with school-aged children.
When asked about calls by workers groups and opposition parties to implement a provincial program for paid sick leave, Thompson says a federally-funded program is designed to address the issue.
While the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit encourages people to stay home, workers must have been unable to work at least half their work week because they were isolating for COVID-19 reasons.
Meantime, Thompson says the Doug Ford government is stressing to those in COVID-19 hotspots to avoid visiting areas with fewer cases, including Huron and Bruce counties.
She says the province is asking anyone in hotspots with property along the Lake Huron shoreline to make any trips to the region last just one day, with few stops in between.
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