Ontario's frontline workers can expect pandemic pay over the next four months as part of an effort to keep essential workers in their roles.
The government used its Saturday press conference to announce that a long list of essential employees will receive an additional $4 per hour for the next 16 weeks. They will also receive $250 month in a bonus if they work more than 100 hours in a given month.
"They take risks, day-in, day-out," Premier Doug Ford said, touting the contributions they have made as Ontario fights off the deadly pandemic that claimed an additional 47 lives yesterday, according to the latest provincial numbers.
Employees who will benefit from the initiative include those who work in long-term care homes, retirement homes, emergency shelters, supportive housing, social services congregate care settings, corrections institutions and youth justice facilities
"This increase will also help our frontline providers attract the help they need," the premier added, hinting at staffing problems that have beleaguered some long-term care homes in particular, where almost two-thirds of Ontario's coronavirus fatalities have taken place.
According to Treasury President Peter Bethlenfalvy, the pandemic pay announced by the government will mean up to $3,560 in additional money over the next four months for about 350,000 workers. The policy takes effect as of Friday, April 24.
"They deserve every single penny times 10, if we had the capacity," the premier added. The additional funding will come from a joint program between the provincial and federal government, and the premier thanked Ottawa for its contribution.
The measure earned some opposition support, although Green Leader Mike Schreiner called on the government to make the increased funding permanent.
Our front line care workers should be compensated for how hard they are working. I’m pleased to see the Ford government making this increase. I urge the government to keep it in place once we have recovered from the pandemic. https://t.co/Ir4a0GyrRq
— Mike Schreiner (@MikeSchreiner) April 25, 2020
Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath took the approach that the government announcement was too little too late, and that pay should be retroactive to the start of the pandemic. "It’s wrong that it took so long for this small wage top up to arrive, and I’m asking Doug Ford to make this additional pay retroactive to the day the State of Emergency was declared, so that people's sacrifice and hard work to keep us all safe is recognized."
The announcement came as a group of about 100 protestors rallied on the south lawn of Queen's Park against public health measures designed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, according to CP24. Those protestors shouted slogan like "fear is the virus" and "the virus is a hoax." Larger protests of the same kind have recently occurred in U.S. states like Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan.
When asked about the protestors the premier grew irate and lashed out at their message.
"We have a bunch of yahoos out in front of Queen's Park protesting," despite extraordinary efforts down the street, where several Toronto hospitals are located, to protect Ontarians. The premier called out the protestors for what he termed "irresponsible," "reckless" and "selfish" behaviour. "We're better than this as a people, as a province," he added.
The premier also renewed his call for the federal government to step up with funding for long-term care homes, a key request that he has made in recent days as the situation has escalated. Ontario has so far seen 626 COVID-19-related fatalities in long-term care homes, according to the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
While long-term care homes continue to be ravaged, there are signs of progress in the rest of the province. This allowed the government to announce that it would open up community gardens, a measure Schreiner repeatedly called for over the past few weeks, arguing that social distancing measures can be applied and it's a good way to increase access to healthy food.
"I am encouraged that the Government heard the pleas from the people of Ontario, including the 10,000 people who signed the Green Party’s petition, to reopen community gardens with proper physical distancing guidelines in place," he stated.
Additionally, the government announced that the prohibition on using provincial parks will be extended until May 31. "We understand this extension may impact many Ontarians’ plans during the month of May. However, the health and well-being of Ontarians is our government’s number one priority," stated Environment Minister Jeff Yurek.
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