The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, is expressing its support for a temporary paid sick program that is paid for by the government for the duration of the pandemic.
“Workers need to be supported to stay home when they are sick and should not be required to choose between putting food on the table or protecting their colleagues from COVID spread. Ensuring people can afford to stay home during a pandemic is the right thing to do – both morally and economically”, says Charla Robinson, President of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce. “When a worker protects themselves, they are protecting their colleagues, their employer, safeguarding the business, and the wider community by extension.”
Robinson continues, “We strongly agree that small businesses cannot afford the additional financial responsibility to fund sick leave at this time. We would like to see both orders of government work together to find a solution for Ontarians that effectively addresses the gaps being experienced by workers with the current federal program.”