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Construction and design sectors united in support of new COVID Alert notification app

August 10, 2020  By Staff Report


Vaughan, Ont. – Members of the Construction and Design Alliance of Ontario (CDAO) and the Construction Employers Coalition (CEC) are encouraging all workers and Ontario residents to download the new COVID Alert app launched by the Ontario and federal governments.

The broader construction sector took an early leadership role in March when the pandemic hit Ontario and has carried that momentum into the summer. To date, construction has led the way with respect to safety policies, practices, and an overall investment in workers. These actions have paid off and construction has kept workers safe and is at the forefront of our economic recovery.

According to public health officials and the Canadian government, the effectiveness of tracing apps greatly increases when more than 55 per cent of the population use them on a daily basis. The COVID Alert app is the best option as it:

  1. Can be used at work, home or anywhere in between to ensure maximum coverage and protection;
  2. Is easy to access, available across Canada, and in all sectors of the economy; and
  3. Protects privacy through best data management practices.

“Health and safety is about eliminating hazards. Where a hazard cannot be eliminated, a mitigation plan must be put into place. Tracing apps expand our ability to manage COVID-19, but will only work if and when a significant portion of the population participate at home, work and play,” said David Frame, chair of the CEC and director of government relations at the Ontario General Contractors Association.

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Sandro Perruzza, chair of the CDAO adds, “The construction and design industries realized early on that the health and safety of workers is the foundation of any economic recovery. Focusing on the 3Ts (testing, tracking, tracing) will allow Canada to stop reacting and start managing COVID-19.”

While numbers have been consistently improving in Ontario, other jurisdictions highlight how short-term success can be easily derailed when complacency sets in. Richard Lyall, chair of the CDAO Economic Recovery Committee, says, “Construction led the charge ensuring workers and worksites are safe. In order to keep this momentum, we need to guard against complacency and prepare for a potential second wave. Effective tracing in which greater than 55 per cent of the public participate will support health and safety and the Ontario economy.”

As technology evolves and is introduced, the CDAO and CEC stress that all other apps or devices, including wearables, must integrate with the COVID Alert notification app. Only when a sufficient percentage of the population is using a common platform will we have the means to effectively trace and stop the spread.

The CDAO is comprised of 17 member associations. For more information about the CDAO, please visit www.cdao.ca.

The CEC represents more than 2,000 firms employing approximately 80,000 workers in the province. The CEC was formed in 2011 for the purpose of studying and responding to “big picture” issues related to occupational health and safety, accident prevention, and the WSIB that affect the construction industry in Ontario.


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