• COVID-19

News release: November 14, 2020

Peel to charge businesses that fail to take steps to prevent or stop spread of COVID-19

Mississauga, ON (November 14, 2020) – Effective Nov. 16 at 6 p.m., business owners and operators who fail to take necessary action to prevent or stop spread of COVID-19 in the workplace now face a fine of $5,000 per day under a Section 22 Order issued Saturday by Peel Public Health.

The Section 22 Order, which was issued under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, mandates employers to follow legislation, implement employee protections and cooperate with outbreak investigations when outbreaks occur in their workplaces.

It stops short of forcing employers to provide employees paid sick leave because the Act does not permit that power. In issuing this order, however, Peel Health also continues to strongly recommend that employers protect their employees by providing sick leave benefits and job protections. This would permit employees who are affected by COVID-19 to do the right thing and self-isolate to help stop spread.

This Order requires all employers where someone has been diagnosed with COVID-19, has symptoms of it or has been exposed to someone with the disease to:

• Not allow the ill employee to enter the workplace and instruct the person to remain in isolation unless they need urgent medical attention;
• Implement all COVID-19 prevention measures outlined in provincial regulations and guidance, including but not limited to screening, distancing, masks, hand hygiene and infection prevention and control;
• Immediately notify Peel Public Health and the Ministry of Labour, Skills and Development if there are two or more COVID-19 positive employees; and
• Cooperate and comply with all directives from Peel Public Health, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labour, Skills and Development to protect other employees from spread.

This Order is the next step in a series of enhanced measures put in place in Peel to try to limit spread of COVID-19. It applies across Peel, in the cities of Brampton and Mississauga, and the Town of Caledon. Peel is currently in Red – Control with enhanced measures to slow spread and save lives.

The detailed order is available on the Region of Peel website. The order has been issued pursuant to section 22 (5.01) of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, RSO 1990, c H.7.

For more information, read the COVID-19 class order fact sheet.

Quick facts

• Since the beginning of April, Peel Public Health has investigated over 1,500 potential COVID-19 exposures in workplaces.
• Peel has had 116 workplace outbreaks from September 1 to November 13. There are eight workplace outbreaks currently under investigation.
• Of the 116 outbreaks, close to three-in-five (58.6%) have been in one of four sectors: manufacturing/industrial, food processing, distribution and transportation.
• One-in-three (33.6%) of these outbreaks have been in manufacturing/industrial settings.
• A workplace outbreak is defined as 2 or more cases that have likely been acquired in the workplace in a two-week period.
• Workplace outbreaks by sector are updated daily on Peel’s COVID-19 data dashboard. Select the Workplace tab.

Media contacts

Ashleigh Hawkins
Communications Specialist – Public Health
Region of Peel