July 14, 2020, Premier Doug Ford marked the beginning of a province-wide tour to acknowledge and thank local businesses, community leaders, volunteers, and front-line workers across Ontario who have stepped up to help out during the pandemic. The Premier and his cabinet will criss-cross Ontario to hear directly from communities and local businesses impacted by COVID-19 and how the province can support “made-in-Ontario solutions”.

The Premier was joined by the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Vic Fedeli at Cambridge-based Eclipse Innovations Inc. and took the opportunity to announce a $1.4 million investment from the Ontario Together Fund to help the company scale up its operations to manufacture up to 1 million “made-in-Ontario” N95 masks per week.

Further Details

Stage Three

In response to questions regarding whether it is too soon for the majority of businesses to reopen, such as dine-in service at restaurants and bars, the Premier believes businesses will be responsible and is concerned about keeping them afloat.

When asked if his government would be prepared to reinstate restrictions pending an uptake in cases, Premier Ford explained that the government will always base its decisions on data.

Fall Planning

Premier Ford reiterated his desire to have kids in school full-time come the fall and added that parents and teachers can expect heightened protocols, procedures, and guidelines. Along with new protocols for schools, the Premier confirmed that the government is preparing to roll-out a plan for the health care sector after warnings from stakeholders to be prepared for a second wave.

Federal Aid Package

Lastly, the Premier signaled that the province is close to signing an agreement with the federal government on the $14 billion federal COVID-19 aid package. Funding will support provinces in their efforts to safely re-start their economies, pending they direct these funds to targeted areas.