BREAKING: Ford calls on insurance companies to lower rates—'People aren't driving!'

Premier Doug Ford addressed media on Thursday to reveal sector-specific guidelines for businesses to reopen, when the time comes.

"Today, we are giving businesses and work places the best guidance available on how to open up safely," said Ford.

"We're telling our businesses how to be ready for when we get that green light. We've been working closely with Ontario's health and safety associations. Together, we have developed over 65 sector-specific guidelines for Ontario workplaces."

Those guidelines include healthcare, retail, the automotive sector, manufacturing, food processing, tourism and hospitality, restaurants and food services, agricultural sectors, construction, office workers, transit and transportation, and utilities.

Ford said that his government will continue to provide updated advice "to protect sectors of the economy."

"All these guidelines taken together provide a strong foundation to help us get the province working again," said Ford.

Minister Monte McNaughton announced that an additional 58 people would join as provincial labour inspectors to focus on communicating covid safety guidelines to essential workplaces, as well as enforcing emergency measures.

"If you're not doing a good job at promoting distancing, the inspectors will help you crack that. Eventually, if you're not doing a good enough job, you'll be fined," said McNaughton, saying that inspectors will be able to give fines of up to $750 dollars.

The guidelines can be found at Ontario.ca/coronavirus.

Ford would then go on to call for a lowering in insurance rates.

"A message to the insurance companies: Lower your rates. People aren't driving as much. That's my message to them. They have to lower their rates, because again, people aren't driving, the risk to the insurance companies are much lower, but you keep taking their checks! Start lowering the rates for these people, we're hurting. But you need to pitch in, too," said Ford.