Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province is well-enough equipped with tools to battle COVID-19 that it will not have to resort to lockdowns in the future.
“That’s because Ontario has one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the world, with booster doses now available for all adults,” said the speech.
“When available, the province will be ready to get shots into arms as quickly as possible,” speech said.
Ford’s speech comes as Ontario’s health-care system buckles under the strain of low staffing rates. Health Minister Sylvia Jones called attention to the issue in an Aug. 4 directive, asking the Ontario College of Nurses to register foreign-trained nurses “as expeditiously as possible” to help ease the shortages.
The throne speech also addressed rising national interest rates and the pressure inflation is placing on Ontarians.
“Inflation has hit levels not seen in almost four decades, with no broad consensus on the speed with which it will return to normal levels,” it said.
To combat rising inflation rates, Ford said his government will increase Ontario Disability Support Program payments by five percent and raise the province’s minimum wage amount by 50 cents in October 2022, bringing it up to $15.50 an hour.