GTHA mayors renew calls to provide all workers with sick pay

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Toronto and Hamilton-area mayors and regional chairs have renewed their call for Ottawa and Queen’s Park to quickly take action on paid sick days.

Toronto Mayor John Tory said Monday the leaders of southern Ontario’s 11 largest municipal governments have joined together in calling for measures to ensure all workers have paid sick days.

“Despite the ongoing lockdown, the GTHA (Greater Toronto Hamilton Area) continues to see extremely large and troubling outbreaks in essential workplaces,” Tory said.

“Although there is the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit from the Government of Canada, and provisions from the Government of Ontario to protect employment for those who are ill, we know that people continue to come to work with COVID-19, often because they’re afraid of losing their paycheque.”

Tory said the fear of losing a job prevents people from even submitting to a COVID-19 test.

Despite both Queen’s Park and Ottawa indicating no changes are coming, Tory said he remains hopeful senior levels of government will take note of what prominent municipal leaders have to say.

On Monday, Toronto recorded 767 new COVID-19 cases with 13 more in hospital — bringing the total number of hospitalizations to 508.

Toronto also reported 15 more COVID-19 deaths.

City Medical Officer of Health Eileen de Villa said all Toronto long-term care homes are being ordered to review and reinforce their protection and control protocols in light of the B117 strain — the so-called “U.K. Variant.”

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The COVID strain has wreaked havoc at Roberta Place in Barrie, infecting almost all 129 residents and half of the staff, killing 40 people.

“This is a terrible price paid, and a stark warning for the rest of us,” de Villa said.

First-round vaccinations have been administered across the city’s long-term care and high-risk retirement homes, de Villa said.

Toronto Public Health is actively monitoring the situation, she said.

“We know the UK B117 variant is in Ontario,” she said. “We must assume it will spread.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @bryanpassifiume