A COVID-19 workplace safety blitz revealed only about half of local big-box stores and other essential retail businesses are in compliance with public health requirements during the current province-wide shutdown.
Over the weekend, a team of provincial offences officers from the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development visited approximately 208 big-box stores and other essential retail businesses in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.
They found, in preliminary reporting, that only 49 per cent were in compliance with public health requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act.
Officers issued 12 tickets in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties and six occupational health and safety orders. The most common contravention found was that businesses did not have a safety plan.
The other top contravention in the two counties was related to capacity limits.
Last weekend, campaigns were also conducted in Ottawa, Windsor, Durham and Niagara Regions and found that 59 per cent of businesses had at least one contravention of the Reopening Ontario Act.
A total of 88 tickets and 106 orders were issued.
Campaigns are planned in several other Ontario jurisdictions in the coming weeks.
