Doug Ford is showing his frustration with the COVID-19 situation in Windsor-Essex and the region not being permitted to enter Stage 2 of the province’s reopening framework.
Speaking on Monday Afternoon, the premier was visibly frustrated when asked by AM800 News whether or not his government would consider a regional approach specifically for this region, allowing areas without temporary foreign workers to open up.
While he didn’t directly answer the question, Ford tells AM800 News, everything is on the table.
"What we really need to do, it’s very clear and I have to emphasizes, there’s no secret I love the farmers but guys, you have to help us here,” he says. “I’m going to just tell it the way it is. Farmer’s aren’t cooperating, they’re not sending out the people to get tested."
Ford says he feels like last week’s plea for workers to get tested was brushed off.
“It's not fair to the people of Windsor. It’s not fair to other people doing what you’re doing to people. It’s not fair to the region, the businesses by not getting the workers tested. It’s very simple."
Ford tells AM800 News his government won’t give up on the region.
“I’ll go to the extreme. Whatever tool I have to protect the people of Windsor and the food supply chain and the farmers and the workers. I’ll start pulling out every tool I have at my disposal to make sure this gets done,” he says.
It was announced on Monday afternoon that Toronto and Peel have been given the green light to enter the restart phase as of Wednesday — Leaving Windsor-Essex the only region in the province still in Stage 1.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit reported an increase of 32 cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and 31 of those cases are in agri-farm sector workers.