Over 150 Canadian Businesses and Associations
Send Open Letter to Elected Officials

Open letter from Canadian businesses to our elected representatives

February 11, 2022 – Your Ottawa Board of Trade joins over 150 Canadian businesses and associations in sending the following open letter to our elected officials regarding the disruption of businesses due the ongoing protesting blockades.

Canadian businesses have suffered under the strain of constant disruptions over the last two years. The challenges they have had to overcome have included COVID-19, extreme weather events, increasing inflationary pressures, labour shortages and supply chain disruptions. Now achieving a successful recovery is threatened by the ongoing blockades of the critical infrastructure that enables the livelihoods and well-being of all Canadians.

The harm is both immediate and severe. Each hour that these blockades continue does more serious damage to our economy and to our society. Manufacturers that depend on just-in-time delivery have been forced to cancel shifts for thousands of workers, shipments of livestock and of fresh produce face serious delays or waste that threaten food security, and deliveries of products that are greatly needed by Canadian families are being cancelled. These curtailments will only grow in scope and impact if the blockades continue.

Allowing these illegal closures to continue will also have serious economic and reputational consequences for the years ahead. The blockades not only strike against the rule of law that protects our rights and freedoms, but also undermine Canada’s international reputation. We are already hearing calls to move investment, contracts, and production from Canada because of our inability to guarantee timely delivery to international customers.

Canadians expect our elected representatives at all levels of government and from all political parties to set aside partisanship and jurisdictional squabbling to bring this issue to a quick resolution.

Our organizations call upon our elected representatives to expeditiously take the following actions.

  • Deliver a strong and unified commitment from the Prime Minister, Premiers, Opposition Party Leaders, and Mayors that the rule of law will be upheld.

  • Urgently enact measures to protect critical infrastructure to ensure further closures do not take place elsewhere in the country in the days ahead.

  • Seek immediate injunctive measures through the courts to assert a clear message that lawlessness will not be tolerated.

  • Ensure law enforcement agencies have all the necessary political support and appropriate tools needed to restore public order and remove any physical blockades that are not dismantled voluntarily.

Along with the vast majority of Canadians, Canada’s business community looks to you to restore the rule of law and to bring a successful end to these illegal actions that are damaging our economy and the well-being of our citizens. As order is re-established, we pledge to do our best to restore the jobs, products and services so greatly needed by our fellow citizens. 
Ontario Issues State of Emergency in Response to
Ongoing Demonstrations and Blockades

Today Premier Ford declared a state of emergency in Ontario.

"I will convene Cabinet to use legal authorities to urgently enact orders that will make crystal clear it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure.

This will include protecting international border crossings, 400-series highways, airports, ports, bridges and railways. It will also include protecting the safe and essential movement of ambulatory and medical services, public transit, municipal and provincial roadways, as well as pedestrians walkways.

Fines for non-compliance will be severe, with a maximum penalty of $100,000 and up to a year imprisonment. We will also provide additional authority to consider taking away the personal and commercial licenses of anyone who doesn't comply with these orders."

#BuyLocalOttawa

For over two years, many downtown businesses have been impacted by the pandemic counter measures causing low customer counts, labour shortages and supply chain issues. The demonstrations have further burdened them, forcing many to close completely and eroding business, customer, and employee confidence.

As businesses in Ottawa are impacted by this demonstration, the Ottawa Board of Trade continues to encourage residents to buy and support local. Businesses drive our local economy, enhance our community culture and shape our future. They support all of us. So now it is time to support them.

How can you get involved?

  • Make a decision to buy local as much as possible and encourage others to do the same.

  • Promote your favourite local businesses on social media and in person at work or gatherings.

  • The Ottawa Restaurant fund aims to provide grants to restaurant owners in need, following a thorough vetting process. The goal is to get as much money into restaurateur hands as quickly as possible. 
  • The Restaurateurs will share a minimum of 50% of the grant amount with all the employees of the restaurant. Their losses through this crisis are impossible to calculate, all members of the hospitality community need help today too. 

Visit http://buylocalottawa.ca for more information
on how you can support local businesses in Ottawa.
STAY INFORMED

  • Follow @OttawaPolice for more further updates and details. 
  • For traffic updates, follow the City of Ottawa @Ottawa_Traffic or use a traffic monitoring app to check for traffic congestion before you travel.
  • Stay up to date on the latest transit information by visiting octranspo.com, calling 613-560-5000 or following OC Transpo’s Twitter account.
  • Keep track of the latest service impacts by following the City of Ottawa’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
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