Our top priority has always been to protect communities across Ontario by limiting the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. This means making difficult, but necessary decisions. On the advice of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ontario is moving into a modified Step 2 of the Roadmap to Reopen.

This action is in response to evolving data showing that while the Omicron variant is less severe, its high transmissibility has resulted in a large number of hospital admissions; swift, decisive work is needed to protect the province’s hospital capacity from becoming overwhelmed. Even if only one percent of cases are hospitalized, the health care system is likely to become overwhelmed soon.

As public health measures are put in place to help fight the spread of the Omicron variant, our government is introducing new supports for businesses and families, including the new Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program and a six-month interest- and penalty-free period to make payments for most provincially administered taxes.

The new Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program will offer eligible businesses rebates equivalent to 50 percent of the property tax and energy costs they incur, retroactive to December 19, 2021. By providing a six-month interest- and penalty-free period to make payments for most provincially administered taxes, we are offering up to $7.5 billion in relief to help about 80,000 Ontario businesses. We will continue to work with small businesses across Milton to support them any way we can.

Our community has shown outstanding Ontario Spirit throughout the entire pandemic. We helped Ontario flatten he curve before, and we will do it again.

Getting vaccinated and adhering to public health and workplace safety measures will continue to protect yourself and loved ones against COVID-19 and variants, and it will help support ourheroic front-line and healthcare workers are working tirelessly to provide care for those in need.

Together, we will win the fight against COVID-19.