December 22nd, 2020

York South-Weston MPP urges Ford to help small businesses

York South—Weston — NDP MPP Faisal Hassan made the following statement in support of struggling small businesses in his riding:

“Small businesses in York South—Weston are the foundation of our community. From the florist shops and bakeries to the clothing stores and cafes, they contribute to the fabric of a community.

Many of these business owners have reached out to me to share their deep concerns about the current lockdown, afraid they may not be able to keep their business alive. They've expressed frustration that the Ford government is allowing big box stores to remain open in the lead-up to Christmas, while they face continued financial hardship, the need to lay off more employees and the risk of going under.

The Official Opposition NDP has been calling for meaningful, direct financial support for small businesses and a ban on both commercial and residential evictions until the pandemic is over.

Doug Ford is holding back $12 billion in unspent COVID-19 money. Now he’s doling out favours to the CEOs of big-box stores while shutting down the local, family-run businesses struggling to stay afloat. This new lockdown we're entering is a product of Ford’s decision to avoid and delay public health protections, and it’s threatening to put many small businesses over the edge.

I am calling on the government to immediately invest in direct support for small business, and help with costs like rent and payroll, along with paid sick days for every Ontario worker."

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Laura Alderson, co-ordinator of the Mount Dennis BIA:

"We frankly don't understand why small business retailers can't be open on an appointment-only basis - the lockdown has given unfair advantage to big box retailers. Small business retailers are the ones keeping our Main streets vibrant...as the main street goes, so goes the community."