Fear hurts Toronto as much as SARS: mayor
Toronto's mayor has been turning to the federal government, the banks and the residents of the city for help with the economic impact of SARS on the city.
Mel Lastman told an emergency session of city council Thursday that Toronto is suffering not only from the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, but from the public perception of the risks.
"The businesses are hurting," Lastman said. "They're hurting badly."
In some areas, businesses are down 70 per cent, councillor Olivia Chow told CBC Newsworld. Chow represents a downtown area of Toronto that includes Chinatown.
Lastman said he has asked Prime Minister Jean Chrtien and Ontario Premier Ernie Eves for help, and has received promises of support from both. Ontario's Enterprise Minister Jim Flaherty told a news conference the province wasn't ready to commit to a specific economic revival plan.
Banks will be asked to defer loan and mortgage payments from people affected by SARS, and Lastman appealed to employers to make every effort to keep people on their payrolls.
"I don't want to see SARS cost anyone their jobs, their homes or their businesses," he said. He encouraged Torontonians to go out on the town and spend money.
Several of the major banks have already said they would go easy on clients affected by the SARS outbreak.
The World Health Organization on Wednesday warned people against travelling to Toronto, a move expected to damage the city's already hurting tourism industry.
The city has struck a SARS advisory committee, which will begin meeting on Monday. The city is also working on a recovery plan.
The city's chief medical officer of health told council her department has spent at least $3 million dealing with SARS, including $2.1 million to pay staff, who have been logging many hours of overtime.