The Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce along with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) are urging the government to address some points in order to help with the province’s recoil from the economic fallout brought by the pandemic.
In releasing the 2021 pre-budget submission, focus was directed towards recovery, growth and modernization. In doing that, the pre-budget submission addressed the impacts of business closures and the importance of helping uplift the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic.
This will be done by investing in the infrastructure and workforce of the future and modernizing government services to improve outcomes for businesses and residents, according to a press release.
Heather Johnson, executive director at the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce, said Ontario’s economy is expected to enter a period of recovery this year as vaccines are distributed and businesses begin to reopen, resources need to be focused on where they will have the greatest impact.
“In the upcoming budget, we would like to see a focus on reskilling, broadband, and access to capital, which will be necessary for the revival of small business and entrepreneurship as well as an inclusive economic recovery,” Johnson said.
Johnson said even with the vaccine, Ontario will continue grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout.
The Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce and OCC’s submission notes the crisis has created new problems and exacerbated pre-existing ones, the press release said.
“The impact on people and business has been catastrophic overall, and disproportionate for certain regions, sectors, and demographics,” the release states.
Rocco Rossi, president and CEO of the OCC, said resources should be targeted towards the sectors and communities that have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, including industries requiring face-to-face contact, small businesses, municipal governments, as well as women, lower-income and racialized individuals, elderly, new immigrants, and younger Ontarians.
In order to understand the needs of each sector, the recommendations outlined in the pre-budget submission were developed together with businesses, postsecondary institutions, chambers of commerce, and boards of trade.
The submission focuses on mitigating the immediate impacts of the crisis, while laying the groundwork for a robust and sustainable economic recovery.
