The Ontario government is getting ready to shut down parts of the industry to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The Globe and Mail reports that the provincial government plans to halt all private sector industrial, commercial and institutional sector construction work while public-sector infrastructure projects and some residential construction will be allowed to continue.

How to stop Community Spread if companies in Toronto wont let their employees stay Home! Offices not just construction sites! @fordnation @JohnTory

— Carolyn Donaldson (@Carolyn12470499) April 3, 2020

The announcement expected this afternoon is in regards to Premier Doug Ford's mention earlier this week that the list of essential businesses allowed to operate during this time was about to get much shorter.

Today , non essential construction sites , condos sites are all open working without any social distance , like nothing happened like no #coronavirus in Toronto while @JohnTory you stay home #Toronto pic.twitter.com/JnImtpL6Im

— Mounira Baraka (@BarakaMounira) April 2, 2020

Last week, three workers tested positive for the COVID-19 virus at Toronto construction sites.

Many had been wondering why, given that there's a pandemic going on, construction was allowed to continue across Ontario.

Busy construction sites stay open as if nothing has changed. Sidewalks are narrow & impossible to maintain distance on. There's an angle to the public health response in Toronto and Ontario that is full on in certain areas, but other things are hands off.

— Shawn Micallef (@shawnmicallef) March 31, 2020

Construction workers have spoken out about their health being put at risk with work that does not enable them to practice social distancing or wash their hands frequently. Instead, it requires them to work closely in teams in places that often lack access to running water.

Construction workers in Toronto are really scared for their safety https://t.co/Hes5SiitX8 #Toronto #Coronavirus #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/qhI0STTkdW

— blogTO (@blogTO) March 25, 2020

According to the report, construction unions had been urging the government to suspend activity and criticized it for giving contradictory messages about the size of gatherings while allowing construction to continue.

Our construction workers are in clean danger @fordnation. I get the economy needs to run & construction is critical. But workers were building condos in downtown a Toronto and not temporary hospitals. They were shoulder to shoulder. Literally and metaphorically. #onpoli #covic19

— OMG. fereal? (@omg_fereal) April 1, 2020

At present, there are over 2,000 construction sites in the province, including over 300 office and residential properties being developed in the Toronto area alone.