Premier Doug Ford hopes to shake a political headache with a provincial paid sick leave plan that would bolster federal efforts to prevent people from going to work ill and spreading COVID-19.
While Ford has long insisted he didn’t want to duplicate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plan — criticized as stingy and clumsy — Ontario Labour Minister Monte McNaughton said Ottawa’s failure to improve it for workers has created an opening.
The move comes after months of pressure from public health experts who say paid sick leave will contain the workplace spread of the virus that has killed 7,757 Ontarians in the past 13 months.
“We saw what wasn’t in that (Monday federal) budget and we’ll have their backs,” McNaughton told reporters Tuesday.
“Clearly there are gaps in the system.”
It is expected the provincial scheme could be unveiled as soon as Wednesday by Ford.
The premier has not been seen in public since last Friday when he announced controversial pandemic restrictions, such as playground closures and additional powers that provoked such a backlash they were withdrawn the next day.
McNaughton would not discuss any details or timing, but critics said speed is of the essence because hospitals and intensive care units are being overwhelmed soon with COVID-19 patients.
“It needed to happen a long time ago,” said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, calling for any program to be permanent.
“The scale of this disaster is enormous and it was avoidable.”
Ford scrapped the previous two days of guaranteed paid sick leave that were on the books after his Progressive Conservative toppled former premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals in 2018.
Local public health officers, mayors, opposition parties and the government’s science table of advisers have long urged paid sick days for workers whose employers don’t provide them.
That has led to many essential workers going to their jobs with COVID-19 symptoms, spreading the virus.
On Tuesday, both Peel and Toronto public health ordered employers with more than five recent COVID-19 cases to temporarily close as a way of stemming the spread.
Sources said McNaughton has been pushing behind-the-scenes for a provincial program, but others at cabinet have resisted out of concern a temporary pandemic measure could become permanent and be too costly for business.
Ontario had been pressing Ottawa to improve the sick benefit and was “disappointed” that didn’t happen, he added.
Complaints about federal sick pay include the relatively low amount of $500 a week and delays in getting payments
“Those gaps still remain and that’s what we are going to be addressing,” said Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott.
Under the federal Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, which users complain is difficult to access, eligible workers are paid $450 weekly after $50 in taxes are withheld and are forced to reapply each time they need it.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy conceded something needed to be done by Queen’s Park.
“Workers need to know they have immediate access to this program. The government will continue to plan for Ontarians and the sickness benefit they deserve,” said Bethlenfalvy.
Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca demanded to know why it took so long for the Tories to act.
“I welcome the news that Doug Ford is belatedly considering implementing paid sick leave,” said Del Duca.
“But my heart breaks for the thousands of Ontario families who have suffered with illness, and even death, while he dithered and delayed.”
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