Northerners were hit worse by the pandemic than rest of Ontario, study finds
Northern Ontario was disproportionately affected by the pandemic, according to the Northern Policy Institute (NPI).
The institute's latest report says while the region bounced back from the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns, northerners were hit worse as the crisis progressed.
"What we found, though, is that throughout 2021, the economy in northern Ontario hadn't recovered to pre-pandemic levels, whereas Southern Ontario had," said Martin Lefebvre, a senior researcher at NPI.
"Basically the two regions acted as separate regions."
Even though the north has unique circumstances that affect how it experiences financial and public health emergencies, Queen's Park's early emergency measures were imposed province-wide.
Lefebvre said that put this region at a disadvantage, since many northern communities didn't see surges in COVID-19 cases until many months into the pandemic.
Unemployment also spiked later in the pandemic, with the financial impact hitting this region harder due to its lower income demographic, he said.
Given how different life is in the north, the Timmins Chamber of Commerce's senior policy analyst, Cameron Grant, echoed calls from the NPI for more regional and data-based approaches to these situations in future emergencies.
"It all goes back to the ways in which politicians and legislators are going to be looking at future pandemic-related shutdowns," Grant said.
"Are they regionally-based and are they supported and backed by health data numbers within those regions?"
The NPI's report assessed the impacts of the pandemic on Sudbury, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay. Timmins, however, wasn't included in the report, due to a lack of data.
Though Grant said the damage to local businesses has been clear to see.
He said the province's largest mistakes over the last two years were being too slow to offer relief money to offset the financial hit of lockdowns; not delivering it to them as soon as those lockdowns occurred-and having poor communication with businesses about its emergency plan.
It left people in unnecessary anxiety and uncertainty, he said
"Having those policies in place and templates that can help businesses understand what they need to do in times of lockdown and emergency pandemic preparedness, is going to be heavily supportive for their future and ongoing viability," Grant said.
The Northern Policy Institute said the provincial government also needs to put more power in the hands of those who understand the north and how these situations affect local residents and businesses.
It thinks letting the region make its own decisions would be the best way to manage a future crisis.
"It would be economically less damaging to tailor a policy for northern Ontario, compared to a blanket approach," said Lefebvre.
The full paper from the Northern Policy Institute can be found on their webstie.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.