Premier Doug Ford says the NDP plan to move regional hotspots into a modified Stage 1 doesn't take into account people's mental health. "It's easy for people to say just shut everything down, when they are guaranteed a pay check every single week."
ONTARIO - Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he wants to avoid another complete shut down at all costs.
Ford was responding to a question about a recent proposal from the NDP leader Andrea Horvath. Horvath is calling for hot spot regions to move into a modified Stage 1 for two weeks. Her plan would shut down all non essential businesses with the following exceptions:
- Schools should stay open, capped at 15 per class
- Restaurants and bars should be open for takeout and delivery, and given provincial funding to support them through the circuit breaker period
- Small businesses that are non-essential should be given funding to support them through the circuit breaker period
Hospitals should continue scheduled surgeries as long as it’s safe – the NDP believes this circuit breaker could prevent surgeries and diagnostics from being cancelled, as they were in the first wave.
Ford says his Government is taking a more balanced approach and Horvath's plan doesn't take into account mental health.
"How can you measure depression, the mental health of businesses, the owners when all of a sudden they go belly up. They put everything they have in their lives into their small business, be it a restaurant or a gym or any small business and you just want to shut them down."
Ford says the easy thing to do is to shut down the whole Province.
"It's easy for people to say just shut everything down, when they are guaranteed a pay check every single week."
You can listen to Ford's comments regarding lockdowns below:
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