Attention: Premier Doug Ford
WHEREAS the health and safety of Ontarians is the number one priority and health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease;
AND WHEREAS many businesses rely on the holiday season for their financial strength and whereby these businesses have faced unprecedented difficult times throughout 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions;
AND WHEREAS closing our small local businesses during the holiday season means many will not survive and business owners and their employees will lose their livelihoods;
AND WHEREAS the Town of Kingsville’s commercial businesses are predominately made up of small independently owned businesses and closing them will force residents to travel out of town into larger crowds increasing their exposure to COVID-19;
AND WHEREAS our small independent businesses have every reason to keep customers safe and are able to ensure limited capacity, customer contact tracing and disinfecting in-between customers and may be able to offer curb-side and delivery.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Kingsville calls upon the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, as well as the Ontario cabinet and Health officials, to protect the health of Ontarians and our small businesses by allowing them to remain open to in-store sales and service with limited capacity and increased safety measures;
AND THAT this resolution be forwarded to: All Ontario municipalities;
Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Hon. Victor Fedeli; Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Hon Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria; Minister of Health Hon. Christine Elliott;
Minister of Finance Hon. Rod Phillips; Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Hon. Michael A. Tibollo; MPP Taras Natyshak; the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit Board of Health and the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed.