Ontario announces $13.6 million in pandemic funding for schools in 4 regions

Ontario will provide $13.6 million to be split between schools in four regions of the province recently designated COVID-19 red zones, Premier Doug Ford announced on Nov. 26.

“We know schools in red control zones or higher need extra support to keep students and staff safe,” Ford said during a media event at St. Marcellinus Secondary School, in Mississauga. “This is funding to hire even more teachers, to allow for physical distancing, to hire more custodians, to enhance cleaning in schools and increase remote learning supports for students.”

Here’s what you need to know about the additional funding.

Who will receive funds?

The funds will be made available to schools in Durham, Halton, Hamilton and Waterloo, since those regions were recently designated COVID-19 red zones. 

How far will this money go?

Ford said the $13.6 million is enough to hire 135-175 additional teachers or 240 custodians, or to purchase around 27,000 tablets and laptops for remote learning.

Where is the money coming from? 

This funding is part of the government’s existing $1.3-billion plan to reopen classrooms across the province.

In addition to the new funding for schools in Ontario’s four red zones, Ford also announced the province will launch voluntary COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic students in regions with high numbers of active cases, including in Toronto, Peel, York and Ottawa. 

“This will build on our work with school boards and local public health units to ensure testing is made available to the schools and communities where they need it most,” Ford said.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce, who joined Ford for the announcement, said boards across the province will also receive additional funding stabilization to offset some of the impacts of enrolment declines caused by the pandemic. The funds are intended to respond to budget shortfalls and prevent boards from being forced to make staffing reductions. 

“We’re taking further action to keep schools open and keep them safe,” Lecce said, adding that, on the first day back from the holiday break in January, all students in Ontario will undergo a refresher on the fundamentals of COVID-19 safety, including proper mask use, hand hygiene, distancing and mental health.

The province will also launch two new interactive learning portals in partnership with TVO and its French-language counterpart, TFO.