Ontario extends paid sick days to March 2023 amid rising COVID-19 cases

The Ontario government announced it will extend its COVID-19 paid sick days program until March 31, 2023.

The announcement comes just a week before the program was set to expire.

Eligible Ontario workers can continue to earn up to $200 a day for up to three days if they need to get tested, get vaccinated (including booster shots) or if they need to self-isolate.

It also applies to Ontarians who need to stay home to take care of a family member with COVID-19.

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The provincial COVID-19 Worker Income Protection Benefit was first introduced in April 2021 and has been extended several times since.

To date, the paid sick days have been accessed by more than 500,000 people, according to Labour Minister Monte McNaughton.

Ontario is in its seventh wave and weekly COVID-19 case numbers increased by 28% from July 10 to July 16.