We write with an urgent plea on behalf of beauty and personal care service
businesses across Ontario. Most of our members have been shut down since November and many shutdown permanently. We are aware of incidences of homelessness and several suicides among industry members. Targeting our industry does not serve Public Health purposes in view of our training, safety
protocols and data available to date, but with respect Premier, we feel like no one is listening. The Beauty and Personal Care industry includes barbers, hair salons, nail salons, aestheticians, wax and grooming professionals, tattoo parlors and tanning salons.

We employ approximately 200,000 people across Ontario and by some estimates with 5% of those being from racialized communities and gender-inclusive. Our industry is over 81% female owned and operated. Most of our members did not get rent support. Many of us carry a lot of unsold and expiring inventory. As is, 20% of our sector has already closed permanently and more will not survive the Lockdown.

Hairdressers are the only licensed journey person under the Ontario College of Trade that is trained in IPAC that remains shut down. Sterilizing equipment was an industry standard even before Covid. We are trained in and ensure proper use of PPE. We note that closing of Beauty and Personal Care services is
unique to Ontario. In BC and Nova Scotia, the industry has been open since May 2020. Moreover, our Industry has one of the best and safest protocols. Through booking of appointments and strict sign-ins, we control capacity to ensure distancing and can fully cooperate in contact tracing. For the past 50 years, we have been governed by Public Health in Ontario and we require a body safe pass to be able
to service.

There is no data to suggest that the Beauty and Personal Care Industry is a dangerous source of outbreaks. According to Statistics Canada’s most recent Epidemiological Summary, the Personal Care industry is responsible for only 47 out of approximately 9,000 outbreaks recorded in Canada since the start of the Pandemic. We are responsible for zero deaths out of approximately 13,000 deaths
attributed to outbreaks in Canada. Targeting us makes absolutely no sense. We therefore take exception, respectfully, to the recent suggestion by the Minister of Health that somehow we are “dangerous”. There is simply no evidence for such unfounded allegation. From the recent #showyourstatsto campaign, we were opened for 21.5 weeks, 185 salons, 990 staff members, we serviced 282 034 clients and had ZERO Covid outbreaks. We continue to prove that we are safe.

While well intentioned, the proposal to provide outdoor services is not properly thought out. Washing or blow drying hair under the elements is not feasible and there is no outdoor equipment to do so. There is no plumbing for pedicures or electricity to dry nails after for manicures. Outdoors isn’t safe or
sterile for wax or body work as safety and cleanliness are paramount to everything we do.

The opening of Beauty and Personal Care services is important not just to our members but to many Ontarians. At a time when Ontarians are under considerable stress, looking good and feeling good about ones’ self is important for mental health. The lawful opening of our industry will reduce the incidence of underground services, as for many, the practicalities of life demand that we keep up with our routines.

Premier, we ask you to show support for women. We have done all we have been asked to do. There are tens of thousands of Ontarians who are entitled to preserve their livelihoods or at least put food on the table. They should not be the target of misdirected Public Health policy. On behalf of approximately 10,000 member businesses and the entire industry, we plead that you allow for the safe reopening of
the Beauty and Personal Care industry as soon as this weekend.