To ensure fairness in the application of critical service rules, CFIB recommends the following additional measures to ensure small retailers can safely serve a limited number of customers. These measures can co-exist with the current rules allowing some critical goods retailers to remain open with 50 per cent capacity.
CFIB recommends that the Government of Ontario:
- Allow all non-essential small retailers to open to in-store sales, but with very limited capacity for customers and public-facing staff
- Limit customers to three per store for a fixed time for personalized shopping
- Limit the store to three public-facing staff to help customers shop as efficiently as possible from a safe distance
- Encourage pre-booking appointments, to avoid long lines outside the store
- Require all businesses to sign the POST Promise before opening in-store operations
- Encourage customers to shop by curbside pickup or delivery as preferred means
Please note that to date, almost 9,000 people from across Ontario have signed their petition here with the above ask.