{"id":8639,"date":"2021-04-07T23:47:59","date_gmt":"2021-04-07T23:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2021\/04\/07\/industry-groups-urge-ontario-to-prioritize-vaccinating-their-workers-as-province-hit-by-fresh-pandemic-wave\/"},"modified":"2021-04-07T23:47:59","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T23:47:59","slug":"industry-groups-urge-ontario-to-prioritize-vaccinating-their-workers-as-province-hit-by-fresh-pandemic-wave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2021\/04\/07\/industry-groups-urge-ontario-to-prioritize-vaccinating-their-workers-as-province-hit-by-fresh-pandemic-wave\/","title":{"rendered":"Industry groups urge Ontario to prioritize vaccinating their workers as province hit by fresh pandemic wave"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> \n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<header aria-label=\"Beginning of Article\" class=\"article-header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"breadcrumbs__items list-unstyled\">\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\"> Retail &amp; Marketing <\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\"> News <\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\"> Economy <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p class=\"article-subtitle\"> The Canadian Federation of Independent Business said its disappointed with the province&#8217;s latest order and urged the Ontario government to &#8216;ramp up vaccination schedules&#8217; <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"published-by\">\n<p>Author of the article:<\/p>\n<p> <span class=\"published-by__author\">Avery Mullen, Financial Post Staff<\/span> <\/div>\n<div class=\"published-date\">\n<p>Publishing date:<\/p>\n<p> <span class=\"published-date__since\">Apr 07, 2021<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span class=\"updated-date__since\">43\u00a0minutes ago<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span class=\"published-date__word-count\">4 minute read<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span>  <span class=\"comment-bubble\"> <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" height=\"16px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"16px\"><path d=\"M4,0 C2.93914,0 1.921718,0.421428 1.171572,1.171572 C0.421428,1.921718 0,2.93914 0,4 L0,24 L3.846,20.158 L4,20.16 L20,20.16 C21.0608,20.16 22.0782,19.73858 22.8284,18.98842 C23.5786,18.23828 24,17.22086 24,16.16 L24,4 C24,2.93914 23.5786,1.921718 22.8284,1.171572 C22.0782,0.421428 21.0608,0 20,0 L4,0 Z M2,4 C2,3.46956 2.21072,2.96086 2.58578,2.58578 C2.96086,2.21072 3.46956,2 4,2 L20,2 C20.5304,2 21.0392,2.21072 21.4142,2.58578 C21.7892,2.96086 22,3.46956 22,4 L22,16.16 C22,16.69044 21.7892,17.19914 21.4142,17.57422 C21.0392,17.94928 20.5304,18.16 20,18.16 L4,18.16 L3.048,18.126 L2,19.174 L2,4 Z\"\/><\/svg><\/span> Join the conversation  <\/span> <\/div><\/div>\n<figure class=\"featured-image\"><picture class=\"featured-image__ratio featured-image-category__economy\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=webp 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;type=jpg 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=webp 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;type=jpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;type=jpg 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/vaccinations-1.png?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576&amp;type=webp 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"featured-image__caption image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday the province plans to start vaccinating people aged 18 and older living in COVID-19 hot spots, including teachers and essential workers.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Damien Meyer\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>Canadian industry groups and a labour union called on the Ontario government Wednesday to prioritize vaccinating their workers against COVID-19, as a fresh wave of the pandemic hit the country, especially forcing Ontario to enforce a four-week lockdown.<\/p>\n<p>The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce has taken a dim view of Ontario\u2019s latest shutdown starting Thursday after the province was walloped by a surge of COVID-19 cases that is threatening to overwhelm hospitals.<\/p>\n<p>The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which represents 95,000 small businesses across the country, said its disappointed with the province\u2019s latest order and urged the Ontario government to \u201cramp up vaccination schedules\u201d and target communities and business sectors that are facing the largest outbreak.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany employers are willing and ready to help facilitate vaccines for their workers and to use rapid testing if it means\u00a0they can avoid another lockdown,\u201d Dan Kelly, president of CFIB said in a statement Wednesday. \u201cSmall businesses are\u00a0already stretched to a breaking point \u2014 shutting them down yet again, while we have better, more precise tools at our\u00a0disposal, is nothing short of cruel.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group\">\n<section class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Advertisement<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-1\">\n<div class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce have also both asked the\u00a0provincial government to move essential workers closer to the front of the vaccine line. Currently, most provinces have\u00a0been vaccinating people by age group, with limited numbers of essential workers also eligible.<\/p>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"moreTopicLabel6960364630539848220739295060489820\" class=\"more-topic\" data-carousel-icon-button=\"\" data-carousel-type=\"list\"><button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-prev\" data-carousel-prev=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"previous\" type=\"button\"\/><\/p>\n<ol class=\"more-topic__items list-unstyled\" data-carousel-slide-list=\"\" tabindex=\"0\">\n<li class=\"more-topic__item\" data-carousel-item=\"\"><picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces new COVID-19 measures for the province on Wednesday, April 7, 2021.\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Doug-Ford-1-3.png?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Doug-Ford-1-3.png?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Doug-Ford-1-3.png?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2x,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Doug-Ford-1-3.png?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 3x\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<h3 class=\"more-topic__item-text\"><span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\"> Ontario takes drastic measures against COVID variants with four-week stay-at-home order <\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"more-topic__item\" data-carousel-item=\"\"><picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The COVID-19 pandemic has hit jobs and sectors that historically have fared better during hard economic times.\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/postpandemic-kevin-carmichael.jpeg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/postpandemic-kevin-carmichael.jpeg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/postpandemic-kevin-carmichael.jpeg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2x,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/nationalpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/postpandemic-kevin-carmichael.jpeg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 3x\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<h3 class=\"more-topic__item-text\"><span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\"> The pandemic exposed flaws in Canada&#8217;s economic system. Fixing them won&#8217;t be easy <\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-next\" data-carousel-next=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"next\" type=\"button\"\/><\/section>\n<p>\u201cAs a sector that employs over 750,000 essential workers in the manufacturing sector that continue to go to work every\u00a0day \u2014 we must ensure that Ontario uses every resource available to them to increase vaccination rollout,\u201d said\u00a0Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters CEO Dennis Darby in a press release. The group represents 2,500 manufacturers\u00a0across the country.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile our sector has retooled entire operations to make essential PPE (personal protective equipment) and other\u00a0goods necessary for their protection, access to vaccines is imperative for these workers to be adequately protected day\u00a0in and day out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The CME has also offered to make its member companies\u2019 industrial sites and resources available to the government\u00a0to help facilitate a vaccine program for manufacturing workers, and asked the government to\u00a0introduce a rapid-testing program for its members\u2019 employees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs the Government of Ontario proceeds with Phase 2 of the rollout, we would like to see the earlier prioritization of essential workers who cannot work from home ad are most vulnerable and at risk,\u201d said Ontario Chamber of Commerce CEO Rocco Rossi in a press release. The OCC represents 63,000 companies.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group\">\n<section class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Advertisement<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-2\">\n<div class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>In an apparent response to the calls, Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday the province plans to start vaccinating people aged 18 and older living in COVID-19 hot spots, including teachers and essential workers.Mobile teams will deliver vaccines in congregate settings, residential buildings, faith-based centres and large employers in areas hit hard by the virus.<\/p>\n<p>Nationally, the United Food and Commercial Workers Association Canada, which represents 1.3 million workers,\u00a0acknowledged the importance of vaccinating medically vulnerable people and healthcare staff, but echoed the call for\u00a0essential workers to be given priority.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Many employers are willing and ready to help facilitate vaccines for their workers &#8230; if it means they can avoid another lockdown<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201c(Essential workers) are putting themselves in harm\u2019s way every day that they show up to work, and they have faced a\u00a0heightened risk of contracting the coronavirus since day one of the pandemic,\u201d said association president Paul\u00a0Meinema in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUFCW members on the frontlines have more than proven the critical nature of their work, and have undoubtedly\u00a0earned the right to be protected from COVID-19 while steadfastly providing crucial products and services to Canadians\u00a0in every community across the country \u2013 day in, day out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Chris White, CEO of the Ottawa-based Canadian Meat Council, told The Financial Post that with surging infections in\u00a0many parts of the country and cases often centering around workplaces from crucial industries, vaccinating essential\u00a0workers is an important tool for protecting supply chains.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group\">\n<section class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Advertisement<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-3\">\n<div class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve been advocating for that for some time\u2026 particularly to ensure we maintain the supply chain,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0something that we\u2019ve been asking for and something that we are fully supportive of, particularly now that they\u2019ve mostly\u00a0addressed the needs of healthcare workers and seniors in residential care homes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, Restaurants Canada vice-president for Quebec and federal affairs Olivier Bourbeau pushed back against that position in an interview with the Financial Post.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf course, we would like our workers to be vaccinated as soon as possible, but it is extremely important to respect the priority order, as well,\u201d he said. \u201cHealth workers, elderly people, they need to be first, and there is no way that we would like to cut the line. It is important to respect the priority of all the groups.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added that many of his member restaurants have invested thousands or tens of thousands of dollars per restaurant in additional training and safety equipment to make staff safer, slightly reducing the urgency of vaccinations for workers. In an open letter to Premier Ford on Thursday, Restaurants Canada said it was calling on the province to pay the industry more than $100 million for enforcing \u201cabrupt\u201d shutdowns.<\/p>\n<p>Workplaces have been a major source of COVID-19 infections in Canada. Canada Post,\u00a0Amazon.com\u00a0Inc. and meat-processor Cargill Inc. are among the large employers to see triple-digit case counts at their facilities.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2014 With additional reporting by The Canadian Press<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__share-group article-delimiter\" data-evt=\"beforeunload\" data-evt-typ=\"scroll-depth\" data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" of=\"\" page=\"\" viewed=\"\" story=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Share this article in your social network<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"article-content__ad-group\">\n<div class=\"ad__section-border ad__section-border--category visually-hidden\">\n<section class=\"ad\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Advertisement<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-acceptable\">\n<div class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p> This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"widget article-content__widget-group article-content__widget-group--slot1\">\n<section aria-labelledby=\"TheLogic3752536760757630141816821625861142\" class=\"feed-section feed-section--partner-story list-widget--partner-story the-logic\" data-async=\"\">\n<div class=\"widget-title widget-title--partner-story flex-align-center row row--no-padding--left row--no-padding--right\">\n<p> In-depth reporting on the innovation economy from The Logic, brought to you in partnership with the Financial Post. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"widget article-content__widget-group article-content__widget-group--slot2\">\n<section aria-labelledby=\"TopStoriesNewsletter2236287177553297958533986792493473\" class=\"newsletter-widget\" data-account-id=\"b9d3df2fccd108b5eff3c44f573b2cd6\" data-target-list=\"FP_HeadlineNews\" data-widget=\"newsletter\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-widget__body\">\n<h2 id=\"TopStoriesNewsletter2236287177553297958533986792493473\">Top Stories Newsletter<\/h2>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text\">Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the Financial Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.<\/p>\n<div aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"newsletter-widget__bottom js-form-main\">  <small> By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. 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Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/footer>\n<\/div>\n\n<br \/>Industry groups urge Ontario to prioritize vaccinating their workers as province hit by fresh pandemic wave<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>2021-04-07 23:47:59<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links Retail &amp; Marketing News Economy The Canadian Federation of Independent Business said its disappointed with the province&#8217;s latest order and urged the Ontario government to &#8216;ramp up&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8640,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8639","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-economy"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8639"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8639\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/8640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}