Ontario’s Small Businesses Face ‘Financial Ruin’ From New COVID Restrictions: CFIB President

Ontario’s Small Businesses Face ‘Financial Ruin’ From New COVID Restrictions: CFIB President
A storefront on Roncesvalles Avenue displays a "for lease" sign as part of a protest against the Ontario government's pandemic lockdown rules, in Toronto on Nov. 24, 2020. The Canadian Press/Jody White
Isaac Teo
Updated:
Thousands of small businesses in Ontario may shut down for good as they won’t be able to survive further loss of revenue when the provincial government introduces another round of lockdowns starting Jan. 5, says the president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
“This is absolutely devastating,” Dan Kelly said in an interview with CTV’s Evan Solomon on Jan. 3. “This will lead to the closure and financial ruin of thousands and thousands of people.”

Kelly made the comment shortly after Premier Doug Ford announced sweeping new COVID-19 restrictions effective Jan. 5 in response to the Omicron variant that is spreading throughout the province.