Additional businesses and services will soon be forced to close as the fight escalates against the COVID-19 pandemic, warns Premier Doug Ford.

Ford said Wednesday the provincial government is going to be “adjusting that list” of 74 different essential workplaces that have been allowed to remain open since March 25.

“You’ll hear that in the next day or so,” the premier told reporters at his daily teleconference from Queen’s Park.

“We’re going to do everything we can to reduce that list,” said Ford of an expansive tally that includes supermarkets, pharmacies, pet stores, LCBO outlets, Beer Store locations, cannabis retailers, banks, and most construction projects.

“The supply chain is long when it comes to making sure we have food in the retail grocery chains. It’s absolutely critical we keep that supply chain going, but we’re going through it as we speak to adjust the list,” he said.

The premier noted 300 construction sites have been inspected in recent days and three have been shut down because conditions were not deemed to be safe for workers during the pandemic. An additional 160 “orders to comply” with the rules were dispatched to other sites.

“I won’t hesitate to shut down any single site,” said Ford. “We also have to keep in mind that once you hit one trigger, it affects 10 other triggers. There’s thousands and thousands of people across this province waiting to get into their (unfinished) home.”

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath wrote to Ford on Wednesday requesting him to limit construction “to emergency and essential work only” and expand the number of non-essential workplaces.

“Now, more than ever, precaution can save lives and we must not hesitate to take whatever steps are needed to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Horwath

“I urge you to conduct an immediate review of the list of essential services to ensure that Ontario is doing everything we can to protect vulnerable citizens and prevent infection.”

The premier is also considering a mandatory “stay home” order across the province.

“Last weekend it was a little shocking to see parks and beaches packed. We acted immediately making sure that we brought through an order to make sure we close the parks and close the beaches,” said Ford.

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“I don’t know what more we can say outside of stay in your home, self isolate when you can. Go out one person at a time to go get your groceries. We can’t emphasize it enough.”

The premier made his comments when he announced a new one-time $50 million “Ontario Together” fund to help manufacturers and other businesses quickly retool production lines to make essential medical equipment, such as masks, surgical gowns, ventilators, and testing gear.

Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli said the government is working with various businesses and the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association to ramp up ventilator production.

Fedeli said the province has ordered 10,000 ventilator units from O-Two Medical Technologies.

Robert Benzie is the Star’s Queen’s Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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