Premier Doug Ford’s government fundraising off of their ‘support for small businesses’ days after forced COVID-19 closures

Yorkregion.com
October 19, 2020

Days after forcing thousands of restaurants and bars to cease indoor service to curb COVID-19, the governing Progressive Conservatives are fundraising off of the party’s “support for small businesses.”

In an email appeal Thursday night for cash donations, PC Ontario Fund chair Tony Miele says “we know small businesses — the cornerstone of our communities — are struggling.”

“And we know that helping them get back on their feet is critical to Ontario’s recovery. Our message to them is this: your PC government will do whatever it takes to support you and help you get back on your feet,” wrote Miele.

“Nothing is off the table.”

The Tories’ latest plea for money comes less than a week after Premier Doug Ford, citing public health officials, ordered restaurants and bars in Toronto, Peel Region, and Ottawa to stop indoor meals and drinks as COVID-19 infections rise. Indoor gyms and cinemas were also closed as of Oct. 10.

It arrived in email inboxes on the eve of Ford’s Friday announcement that York Region would be the next to face restrictions on businesses.

Halton could be the next region affected.

More than 3,000 Ontarians have died from the virus since March and some 1.2 million jobs have been lost, though hundreds of thousands of people are back at work since the virus’s deadliest stage in April and May.

While schools and daycares remain open, there will be no indoor dining and drinking at restaurants, bars, and food courts in the four regions until mid-November at the earliest. Casinos, bingo halls, and cinemas are also shuttered.

Still, the Tories are hoping to fill party coffers by touting the fact that “Premier Ford and your PC team have taken decisive action to provide more support for small businesses.”

The measures, unveiled in the Main Street Recovery Act tabled last week by Associate Minister of Small Business Prabmeet Sarkaria, include changes to reduce red tape to keep restaurants, bars, and shops afloat.

Queen’s Park will also make permanent a temporary pandemic allowance to let restaurants and bars sell beer, wine and spirits to go.

Miele’s missive also pointed out that the Tories are “making $300 million available for affected businesses to help with fixed costs, including property taxes, hydro and natural gas bills.”

The email blast noted Ford is working with “our federal partners” — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal are not mentioned by name — “to extend the commercial rent relief program until June 2021 for small businesses and their landlords.”

“Together, these efforts will help businesses meet the challenges of today while focusing their time and money on what’s important right now: recovering, rebuilding, and re-emerging from this pandemic.”

His message closed by asking “do you stand with us? Help strengthen the PC movement by chipping in and becoming an October donor here.”

Even though Ford has pledged not to call an early election before the scheduled June 2022 vote, the Tories recently acclaimed all 72 of their incumbent MPPs as nominated candidates and have been on a fundraising blitz for weeks.