CME calls for priority vaccination of manufacturing workers in Ontario

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) is urging the Government of Ontario to prioritize the vaccination of essential manufacturing workers so that the sector can continue to keep workplaces open and safe for essential manufacturing workers.

CME is offering support to leverage the capabilities of the manufacturing sector to speed the vaccination rollout, including using industrial sites and resources to deliver vaccines to their workforce and the broader local communities.

“As a sector that employs over 750,000 essential workers in the manufacturing sector that continue to go to work every day, we must ensure that Ontario uses every resource available to them to increase vaccination rollout,” said Dennis Darby, President and CEO, CME. “While our sector has retooled entire operations to make essential PPE and other goods necessary for their protection, access to vaccines is imperative for these workers to be adequately protected day in and day out.”

According to CME, as of right now, manufacturing workers have been told that the earliest potential inoculation is in June, “meanwhile, our American counterparts have largely completed vaccinating their employees at this stage. The Ontario government must prioritize essential production workers and ensure speedy access to vaccines right after our frontline workers and seniors.”