Canada PM pushes provinces to add 10 days of paid sick leave a year for workers

"Nobody should have to choose between staying home with COVID-19 symptoms or being able to afford rent or groceries," Trudeau said during his daily press conference on Monday.

Trudeau also said that during Canada's recovery phase of the pandemic, every worker in Canada in need should have access to ten days of paid sick leave a year.

The federal NDP had agreed to support the Liberals' plan to extend the suspension of House of Commons sitting schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic after getting a commitment from the Liberals to support those on sick leave and people living with disabilities who are struggling during the pandemic.

Trudeau's second commitment said Singh for the longer term was that the federal government should work with provinces and businesses to share the costs of a sick leave program to ensure all working Canadians receive paid sick leave.

Although the Canadian Federation of Independent Business expressed concerns about the financial burden of a10-day mandatory sick leave policy on small firms already hit from the pandemic, Singh said the issue of the shortage of sick leave would be permanently resolved on a cost-shared basis.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)