Type of Intervention: Financial and Economic
Sectors Involved: Finance/Economy, Health, Private Sector and Businesses, Social Services
Intervention Categories: Finance policy and financial aid; Stimulus packages and financial support; Financial aid to health services
Level of Jurisdiction: Ontario
Lead People/Agency: Premier (Doug Ford), President of the Treasury Board (Peter Bethlenfalvy), Deputy Premier and Minister of Health (Christine Elliott), and Minister of Long-Term Care (Dr. Merrilee Fullerton)
Overview: The Ontario government is providing frontline staff with temporary pandemic pay, with an increase of $4 per hour worked on top of existing hourly wages. Additionally, those working over 100 hours per month will receive lump sum payments of $250 per month for the next four months, totalling an additional $3560 in compensation for an employee working an average of 40 hours per week. Those eligible include staff in long-term care and retirement homes, emergency shelters, supportive housing, social services congregate care settings, home and community care providers, and some staff in hospitals.
Full details here: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-supporting-frontline-heroes-of-covid-19-with-pandemic-pay.html
Type of Justification: Providing support
Evidence/Justification: The government’s decision to provide pandemic pay is justified by the need to recognize the dedication, long hours, and increased risk assumed by frontline workers. It is explained that this pandemic pay aims to further support those putting themselves at risk to provide critical services to Ontarians.