KINGSTON – Ian Arthur, NDP MPP for Kingston and the Islands, was assigned a crucial new role as critic for Small Business Recovery and Reopening Main Street in the Official Opposition by NDP Leader Andrea Horwath to help small businesses get through this pandemic.
“Businesses in Kingston and the Islands, and businesses across the province have been devastated during this pandemic, said Arthur. “They need urgent action but Doug Ford has refused, choosing to sit on billions of dollars in federal COVID-relief funds instead of protecting Ontarians and helping local businesses through this pandemic.
“I will fight each day to make sure that the small businesses and the local jobs that depend on them are front and centre at Queen’s Park. I will not allow Ford to get away with sitting on billions while workers get laid off and business owners lose their life’s investment.”
The New Democrats released their plan of action for small businesses called Save Main Street in April 2020 because workers and the businesses they depend on need financial stability to make it through the second wave. New Democrats are calling for direct financial support for small businesses to help them with payroll and rent so they can keep people working.
“While small businesses are struggling to survive, Doug Ford chose to side with big businesses, putting locally-owned shops at a major disadvantage. These are businesses that employ people, provide services to our communities, and hold up our local and regional economies,” said Arthur. “I will fight for support for local businesses and investments for working people so that we not only survive this pandemic, but come out stronger than ever.”
During this pandemic, the NDP is calling for a ban on all commercial evictions, government-funded paid sick days, a fund to help with safe reopening costs (PPE supports), stable and ongoing financial supports, more non-profit and public child care spaces for working parents, an end to insurance gouging and insurance denials, and more.