CEOs call on other business leaders to focus on slowing COVID-19 spread

TORONTO — An open letter from a group of Canada’s top executives urged other business leaders across the country to make slowing the spread of COVID-19 their “singular objective.”

The group of 30 executives, which includes the leadership of the country’s largest banks, resource companies and others, say they stand united in the shared fight against the virus.

In the letter published in The Globe and Mail, the group noted that while the fight will have a significant economic impact on businesses in the short term, it is critical to weathering this storm and will hasten the recovery.

The group says governments across the country have taken steps to slow the spread of the virus, but the measures will only be effective if employers do their part too.

They asked companies to urge employees to stop all non-essential travel and enable them to practise social distancing by facilitating work-from-home arrangements.

The group also called on businesses to develop clear guidelines to protect the health of employees who provide critical services.

“International experience demonstrates that social distancing is the only effective method, and is in the best interests of our employees, their families and our communities,” the letter said.