Throne Speech Falls Short in Supporting Ontario Business Owners

The Ford government’s Throne Speech falls short on supporting Ontario’s small business owners’ economic recovery – and leaves them facing huge cost pressures.

Ontario’s small business owners are facing increased stress from rising rent prices  and continued ineligibility for COVID-19 sick day benefits (WIPB).

• While small businesses make up over 90% of Ontario’s economy, the continued lack of support for commercial rent protections means shops are struggling to keep their doors open. Many owners are facing double-digit month-to-month rent increases – some more than 50%. There is no legislation protecting commercial tenants from these extreme increases.
• More cost stresses arise from the continued ineligibility of many small businesses from the extended Worker Income Protection Benefit (WIPB). Business owners have already let the Ontario PC government know that excluding businesses who already offered an employer-paid sick day program creates a bigger cost burden to them, and makes it harder to compete with big box stores who are posting huge profits while also receiving the WIPB subsidy.

The PC Government is missing a huge opportunity to support Ontario’s small business community. The Throne Speech could have presented a plan to level the playing field through inclusion of all businesses in the paid sick day benefit.  The Better Way Alliance’s network of business owners are available to speak to journalists about the need for comprehensive legislation supporting Ontario’s businesses.

To schedule interviews, contact: Liliana Camacho, Better Way Alliance Director, liliana@betterwayalliance.ca , 647-354-7017

Business Quotes 

“Extreme rent increases are a huge concern for Ontario’s Main Street Businesses. Raising rent 10, 20, or 50% during lease renewals is all too common. Ontario’s Commercial Tenancies Act provides NO protection to businesses faced with these increases. Many simply shut down – taking local jobs out of our economy during a key recovery period.”

• Aaron Binder, Chief Experience Officer, Go Tours Canada 
• GoTours is an award-winning tour company with locations in Toronto’s Distillery District and Ontario Place.

“Reducing the spread of COVID while our healthcare system is in crisis makes sense – but it’s unfair that some businesses need to pay out-of-pocket while others are subsidized. Granting WIPB eligibility to ALL businesses will help guarantee a healthy recovery for Ontario’s economy while reducing strain on healthcare.”

• Liliana Camacho, Director, Better Way Alliance

About the BWA

The Better Way Alliance is Canada’s Ethical Employment Network, a growing movement of businesses unlocking the human potential in their enterprise through decent wages, paid sick days, and fair scheduling laws. The BWA’s current campaign, Out of Control: Ontario’s Commercial Rent Crisis, calls for improvements to outdated provincial legislation for commercial tenants.