Dan Kelly Profile picture
18 Jun, 11 tweets, 4 min read
With 21% of Ontarians fully vaccinated, we have surpassed the threshold to move to reopening Step 2. With more than 1% of the province getting a second dose each day, we should reach 25% fully vaccinated on Monday, the threshold set for Step 3.
CFIB calls on @fordnation to prepare to skip Step 2 & move the province to Step 3 next week. This would allow personal services, malls, gyms, entertainment/event venues & indoor dining to reopen (w capacity/other restrictions). These services are currently open in most provinces.
Malls: Ontario is the only province still in lockdown (4 provinces have been fully open in 2021).
Personal services: Ontario & Manitoba (w far higher COVID numbers) are the only provinces where haircuts are illegal.
Gyms: Ontario isn't set to reopen gyms for another 5 weeks. They are open in 8 other provinces (and didn't close for a day in BC or SK in 2021).
Arts, entertainment, events: Ontario plans to keep indoor venues closed until July 23. Movie theatres, etc are open in 8 other provinces.
Indoor restaurant dining: All provinces allow indoor dining today, other than Ontario & Manitoba. Ontario reopens on July 23, more than a month away. By then, Toronto indoor dining will have been closed for 419 days since the pandemic started. The world's longest lockdown.
Almost all of these businesses were closed, not because of any evidence of their COVID spread, but in order to send a message to the public to stay home. This is certainly not what is happening right now. The rationale to keep these businesses closed no longer makes sense.
CFIB data shows small business owners in most provinces are generally supportive of the pace of their govt's reopening plans, less so in Alberta & Manitoba. But two-thirds of Ontario SMEs say the province's plan is too slow. The frustration with @fordnation is incredible.
Throughout the pandemic, Ontario has had the least small business friendly government in Canada. This includes the longest, deepest & most ridiculous use of lockdowns. And the slowest and least helpful business support programs given the # of days of lockdowns.
The BC #NDP govt performed 1000% better than Ontario's during the pandemic. In BC, the govt tried to keep as much of the economy open as possible, using lockdowns strategically w short durations during waves. Ontario kept its economy in perpetual lockdown with far worse results.

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More from @CFIB

17 Jun
We've likely already hit Ontario's 70% first dose/20% second dose threshold earlier today. This should enable the province to move to Step 2 of its reopening plan (personal services, malls) this weekend. We need to drop the 3 week interval rule immediately.
Malls are open in every other province in the country, including Manitoba. Personal services are open in every other province except Manitoba. Quebec has allowed haircuts since Feb. 8 and salons weren't closed for a single day in 2021 in SK or BC.
Why the ON govt continues to make it illegal for a masked stylist to cut the hair of a masked client is beyond me. Why the ON govt won't allow a small retailer in a mall to serve 15 or 25% of its capacity (like other retailers) is also beyond me.
Read 7 tweets
16 Jun
Ontario's COVID case count has dropped dramatically & the province is only days away from meeting all its reopening vaccine thresholds. But its plan is stuck with nearly a month & a half of ongoing lockdowns before one can eat in a restaurant, go to a gym or see a movie.
As Ontarians have been locked down for so long, CFIB believes many have lost any perspective of how other provinces (together with their public health officials) are handling COVID policies such as lockdowns.
Ontario has the longest lockdown in Canada, the longest in North America & we believe now has the longest lockdown in the world. As an example, indoor restaurant dining in Toronto has been locked down for 382 days since the pandemic began.
Read 11 tweets
11 May
The number of tweets and emails I've received from business owners ready to defy lockdowns is growing by the minute, especially in Ontario. I don't think govts appreciate how close we are to society's breaking point.
CFIB does not recommend business owners break the rules. But I do not dismiss the concerns of those ready to take this extraordinary step either. If you were in the position of losing your business, your economic future, your home, what would you do?
We need to find an immediate pathway to provide support to business owners facing permanent closure due to COVID restrictions. This means finding ways to allow them to operate with limited capacity. It means full economic supports from the feds and provinces for ALL affected.
Read 7 tweets
10 May
Looking forward to introducing Economic Development Minister @melaniejoly in a special webinar for CFIB members. Over 1200 small business owners registered to join us today.
The first question for Minister @melaniejoly is on the need for support for new businesses that can't access any of the federal COVID support programs. She shared govt is still working on this.
Lots of questions from CFIB members raising concerns about the planned summer reduction in the levels of the wage/rent subsidies. With fresh restrictions popping up across Canada, govt should be extending current levels for the summer months.
Read 4 tweets
9 May
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms running their own businesses, and the many who can’t open their doors due to ongoing lockdown restrictions. Brighter days are ahead!
Mother’s Day is a bit tough at my house today. This is the first Mother’s Day after my wife lost her mom and we haven’t been able to visit my mom in Calgary in over a year despite her breast cancer treatment.
Thanks to @piejunkieyyc in Calgary for helping me surprise my mom with some freshly baked butter tarts, a pie and cookies. Can’t wait to try your stuff myself on my next trip out west. #smallbusinesseveryday
Read 4 tweets
19 Apr
Some good news in #Budget2021 for small business: extension of the rent/wage subsidy to the fall, a major new hiring incentive and a promise of lower credit card processing fees.
Here is CFIB's full release: cfib-fcei.ca/en/media/news-…
Sadly, the federal budget does absolutely nothing to fix the many gaps in access to CEWS, CERS or CEBA. New firms and thousands of others remain entirely left out. Fixing this is CFIB's top priority.
Read 8 tweets

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