Chamber welcomes further supports for business but urges expedited delivery

TORONTO – Dec. 22, 2021: Today, Rocco Rossi, president and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, released the following statement:

“We welcome new measures announced today by the provincial and federal governments. Overall, this is good news for businesses and workers heading into the holiday season when they need it the most. Missing today were measures like an extension of the small business grant that would have provided immediate relief.

“Timeliness of when these supports are delivered is critical. We urge both governments to deliver the relief as quickly as possible.

“Our concern is whether these measures will be sufficient to prevent a wave of business closures. For example, applications for the Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program will not open until mid-January. This delay – along with the limited eligibility of the rebate to energy and property taxes – may not be enough for many small businesses to keep their doors open.

“Newly imposed restrictions intended to control the spread of the Omicron variant should always be met with immediate, commensurate and targeted relief, particularly for small businesses who are struggling to stay afloat at this time.”

About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce

For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.