Anxiety at all time high as further restrictions loom

Trent Hills– April 19, 2021 –In response to further restrictions announced by the Government of Ontario, Lori Schuett, Chair of the Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce & Rocco Rossi, President
and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce released the following statement.

“Anxiety among Ontarians, business owners, and workers is at an all-time high. In fact, this anxiety was felt loudly across all industries in anticipation of today’s announcement.

“We are into the second week of our stay-at-home order, small businesses are struggling to stay afloat amidst Ontario’s third lockdown, ICU rates are the highest they have ever been, hospitals
have postponed elective surgeries, schools are now closed indefinitely, and just today, Moderna announced it will be reducing deliveries to Canada.

“Public health and the health of our economy are interdependent. The business community is concerned about the rise in COVID-19 case counts. It is also extremely demoralizing for business
owners who feel they have shouldered an unfair portion of the burden of restrictions.

“We need an all-hands on deck approach from all orders of government and local public health units to get vaccines to Ontarians. We’d like to see the provincial government continue expediting
the vaccination of essential workers who cannot work from home, and the federal government address supply issues and delays which may hamper the province’s goal of vaccinating 40 percent of the population by the end of the stay-at-home order.

“In the meantime, businesses need support to confront the economic repercussions of these measures. New supports must be made available as customers are forced to stay at home and relief
is needed for industries that have been left out of previous measures.”

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For more information please contact:
Nancy Allanson, Executive Director
Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce
705-653-1551
nancy@trenthillschamber.ca