Mayor of Toronto John Tory said on Thursday that the Prime Minister’s announcement on providing help for small businesses in the form of the Canadian Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program, is very welcome news for the small business community in Toronto.

Tory said he has spoken about this specific issue directly with deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland and the minister of finance Bill Morneau, and said he believed if it was rolled out quickly and in cooperation with the province of Ontario it will make a real difference in saving many of the small businesses in Toronto.