Ontario to increase inspections at construction sites and grocery stores to ensure workers are safe

The Ontario government is increasing labour inspections at construction sites and supermarkets to ensure workers are safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Premier Doug Ford said even though all but essential workplaces are shut down during Ontario's state of emergency he is concerned some are feeling unsafe on the job.

"The health and safety of our essential workers is always top of mind during this pandemic," the premier said Wednesday at his daily Queen's Park teleconference.

"That's why we're introducing new measures today to keep essential workers safe and healthy," he said.

"Whether you work in a grocery store or on a construction site we're looking out for you. We're redeploying inspectors to ramp up investigations."

His comments come after some construction workers on the sites that remain open have complained of dangerous conditions because they are unable to maintain a safe "physical distance" of two metres while doing their job.

Ford is calling for former labour inspectors to come out of retirement to help bolster the platoon.

"We're issuing a call to all retired inspectors to join the fight against COVID-19 and help keep employees safe and healthy during these uncertain times," he said.

Both NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca have been urging the Progressive Conservative government to do more to protect workers.

Labour Minister Monte McNaughton said 30 more employment standards officers will be deployed to ensure businesses are complying with the law.

McNaughton said he would be doubling the capacity of Ontario's health and safety call centre to 50 phone lines from 25.

"We have conducted thousands of inspections and investigations across the province in March and we will continue to conduct more this month," the minister said.

"We will do everything in our power to keep the essential workers of our province safe."

At the same time, McNaughton said construction on essential projects is being extended to 24 hours a day. That includes work on new hospitals, health-care expansions, and COVID-19 assessment centres.

Also Wednesday, Ford implored Ontarians not to head to their cottages this Easter weekend.

The premier said officials are worried cottage country supermarkets and health-care facilities could be overwhelmed.

Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie