Residents and businesses in Ontario are pushing through the beginning ofyet another full shutdownfor all regions, and with more measureson the way today, people seem more weary than ever of what feels like an endless battle.

Business ownershave not been shyin expressing their frustration with Premier Doug Ford'sconstant flip-flopping他们感觉不公平目标的确定industries thatare not the primary drivers of rising COVID-19 case counts.

The tension is perhaps more palpable at this juncture than ever, with some advocating for fewer restrictions (or simply for better targeted restrictions) andothers asking for more.

Among the calls to action isa new petitionto end the forced shuttering of small businesses across the province, which has garnered 53,000 signatures and counting within just three days.

Ontario Provincial Government: End the Lockdown of Ontario Small Business - Sign the Petition!https://t.co/cKNV0QiseYvia@CdnChange. I’ve seen the great care our#kwawesomesmall businesses are taking...let’s support them so they survive!

— Jennifer Markovic (@JenMarkovic)April 6, 2021

"While big box stores and internationally owned retailers continue to thrive under the provincial regulations, Ontario small businesses are being the target of yet another attack on our livelihoods," reads the petition, which prompted by the measuresthat kicked in Saturday.

"This most recent shutdown isnota provincial lockdown. With packed malls, in-person schooling, and big box stores running with minimal regulations we cannot be asked to martyr ourselves in the name of lowering transmission."

The entreaty continues on to beg for an end to "inequitable" closures that have led to the demise of so many stores, restaurants, salons and other mainstays, stating that those small businesses that have managed to survive thus far — some of whichhave been shuttered since October— will not be able to hold on any longer.

The fact that resumption of operationssuch as outdoor dining at restaurants— and the money that such businesses spent to prepare their patios — only lasted two weekshave not helped the situation.

"The strain these closures are having on our physical and mental health is being overlooked by many in our province; we cannot stand by and watch our communities be decimated by this lockdown," it states.

At this point, given how concerned thegovernment's top health officialsare with recent COVID-19 stats, it seems unlikely that there will be any loosening of measures in the foreseeable future — at least until our currentfour-week-long shutdownis over — regardless of businesses' assuredness that they can operate safely with stringent safety measures in place.

(In the case of salons,this was proven by data.)

While it appears the Ford govt will finally end the big-box preference policy in its renewed retail lockdown, its policy will shift even more retail sales to Amazon & other online giants. This is despite growing data showing it is these very warehouses where COVID is spreading.

— Dan Kelly (@CFIB)April 7, 2021

Hopefully, new measures such asthe immediate closure of schoolsin some regions and thecordoning off of non-essential items at big box storeswill help ease the frustration that many businesses are feeling about another lockdown that seems to destroy most, while benefitting a select few.

But there is still much backlash regarding the weak measures in settings thathave proven to be the source of most outbreaks in the province, such as warehouses, factories and construction sites, as well as our snail's-pace vaccine rollout and a lack of proper paid sick leave for some.