Ontario to announce new labour guidelines later this week

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the government will unveil new sector-specific labour guidelines later this week.

Addressing the province during his daily pandemic briefing April 28, Ford and Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Prabmeet Sarkaria also announced the launch of a new website intended to help businesses overcome the “unique challenges” created by the COVID-19 pandemic through a relaxation of some existing regulations.

“We will be releasing clear, sector-specific labour guidelines for how businesses can operate safely in this new reality,” Ford said. “Having a clear framework, having well-defined labour guidelines, these are critical steps to opening the economy safely.”

The criteria and guidelines will be based on the best medical advice and scientific evidence available, said the premier.

“In the coming days and weeks as we open more and more parts of the economy, as more and more workplaces open up, having clear guidelines in place will be critical to keeping COVID-19 at bay. Putting the pieces in play will help us reopen the economy safely,” he remarked.

On March 29 the province issued a new set of guidelines developed by Chief Prevention Officer Ron Kelusky for health and safety practices at construction sites during the COVID-19 crisis. Those standards have been updated several times.

Ford refused to expand on plans for the new labour guidelines when questioned at his media conference April 28.

The new business portal is being billed as COVID-19: Tackling the Barriers.

“Businesses working to retool their operations to produce health-related products, or those that want to continue their operations in this new environment of physical distancing, can submit any potential roadblocks to the website,” a provincial statement explained.

The government said it is willing to allow temporary changes to provincial rules and regulations in order to remove any barriers that are hindering business and negatively impacting Ontario’s supply chain.

“This website will allow us to listen to and support businesses as they adapt to this new environment. At the same time, it should also make it easier for businesses to retool to produce the health-related supplies and equipment that our frontline workers need,” Ford said.

Sarkaria noted the extension of permitted hours of construction in some sectors as an example of how the government intends to help businesses cope with the pandemic.