511 App
Summary Today, Hon. Caroline Mulroney released a News Release and 511 mobile app to support truck drivers across Ontario. The free app will make it easier for truck drivers to find traveler information such as rest areas, construction and road closures. It also features a drive mode that provides audio alerts to inform drivers of […]
MLTSD-Enhanced Worker Safety
Summary Today, the Hon. Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, released new safety guidelines to protect workers, customers and the general public from COVID-19 as we prepare for a gradual reopening of the provincial economy. These measures will provide direction to those working in the manufacturing, food manufacturing and processing, restaurant and food […]
Mental Health Supports and CMHA
Summary BounceBack is a free, guided self-help program for people aged 15 and up. Participants receive telephone coaching, skill-building workbooks and online videos to help them overcome these symptoms and gain new skills to regain positive mental health. BounceBack is not a crisis service, psychotherapy or counselling, but a life-skills program that participants work with […]
Emergency Child Care Expansion
Summary Today, our government announced it is further expanding the list of essential workers eligible to receive free emergency child care during the COVID-19 outbreak. Since emergency child care was introduced last month, almost 100 child care centres have re-opened along with 40 Licensed Home Child Care Agencies in communities across the province. The list of open […]
A Framework to Reopen Our Province
Summary With recent modelling showing early signs that enhanced public health measures are working to stop the spread of the virus and flatten the curve, Ontario is now preparing for the next phase of its plan to respond to the global pandemic. Today, our government released A Framework for Reopening our Province, which outlines the criteria […]
Pandemic Pay for the Broder Public Sector
Summary Today, Premier Ford and Minister Bethlenfalvy announced Pandemic Pay in the Broader Public Sector. This is a payment increase that would provide four dollars per hour worked on top of existing hourly wages, regardless of the qualified employees’ hourly wage. In addition, employees working over 100 hours per month would receive lump sum payments of $250 per month. Both […]
Small Business Rent Relief
Summary Our government is acting to ease the financial pressures faced by small business and property owners during the COVID-19 outbreak. We are committing $241 million to partner with the federal government and deliver more than $900 million in urgent relief to small businesses and their landlords through a new program, the Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program […]
Ontario Guaranteed Annual Income System
Summary Our Government is providing additional financial relief to the province’s most vulnerable seniors. As part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19, we’re doubling Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) payments to help low-income seniors during the COVID-19 outbreak. Today, the Province is issuing the first doubled GAINS payments. Recipients will receive up to $166 per month […]
$2.5 M for a quick-fire Agri-Food Open for E-Business program
Summary Today, Minister Ernie Hardeman announced the Agri-Food Open for E-Business program to help food producers, farmers markets, retailers, garden centres, greenhouses, nurseries and agricultural associations expand online, offering more food choices for families who are shopping from home during the COVID-19 outbreak. This targeted application intake features two funding streams: Bring Your Business Online. Eligible organizations and businesses […]
Vulnerable Populations COVID-19 Action Plan
Summary This afternoon the government announced the COVID-19 Action Plan for Vulnerable People. The purpose of this plan is to better protect those living in high risk settings including homes serving those with developmental disabilities, shelters for survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking and children’s residential settings. This includes Indigenous residential settings on and off […]