Toronto is urging the province to stop landlords from locking out businesses on April 16

It's getting down to the wire for local business who have yet to pay April rent and city councillor Paula Fletcher is urging the province to stop landlords from locking them out.

The Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth representive issued a press release today calling on the Ontario government to stop landlords from locking out businesses who haven't paid April rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Tomorrow, April 16th, commercial landlords can lock the doors of small businesses that have not paid their April rent," the statement reads.

"This could mean boarded up stores along the Danforth, Queen, Gerrard and Pape as well as commercial streets throughout Toronto. Without action, it could take years for small businesses to recover."

Today I held a virtual media conference to address the need for the Province to save Main Street businesses that face being locked out on April 16th for failure to pay rent. Many businesses are struggling and need #rentrelief to #KeepTheLightsOn. Watch ⬇https://t.co/eHvlhN2yYT pic.twitter.com/eBcjvo1m0E

— Paula Fletcher (@PaulaFletcherTO) April 15, 2020

Last month Premier Doug Ford announced that the province would be halting all evictions for residents but the provision did not include commerical tenents.

The province has issued a list of essential businesses that are permitted to remain open, but many of those that have been excluded are experiencing financial hardship with over 75 per cent of downtown businesses saying they won't be able to make May rent.

A block of restaurants in the Annex has already reported that their landlord is threatening to evict them.

While the federal government has created the Canada Emergency Business Account to help aid small businesses across the country, many in Toronto have said it isn't enough.

The Likely General on Roncesvalle has begun crowdfunding to ensure it can cover rent and opertaing costs  for at least two months.

Mayor John Tory also urged the province to protect small businesses from evictions earlier this month, but so far no measures have been implented.