April 2nd, 2020

Horwath: Province should fund municipalities to stop city layoffs

QUEEN’S PARK — The Official Opposition wants the provincial government to step in to stop layoffs by funding municipalities to keep staff on the payroll. That call comes as Windsor threatens to lay off 500 city staff and send them to Employment Insurance (EI) instead.

“People need income to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. We can help them through EI, or we can help their employer to not lay them off in the first place,” said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. “At a time when so many are moving heaven and earth to protect jobs, it makes no sense for municipal governments to force people out of work.

“I’m calling on the provincial government to fund municipalities so they can keep their staff on the payroll.”

The Government of Ontario has not offered any substantial, direct income supports for people, municipalities or small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though other provinces have.

“Let’s take action now to avoid throwing even more Ontarians into the chaos and uncertainty of being laid off,” said Horwath. “It’s the right thing for Queen’s Park to do.”