November 20
Ontario Taking Further Action to Stop the Spread of COVID-19
Province Also Doubling Financial Support for Businesses Affected by Additional Restrictions
In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, local medical officers of health, and other health experts, the province is moving certain public health unit regions to new levels in the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework, which includes moving Toronto and Peel into Lockdown. These necessary measures are being taken to limit community transmission of COVID-19 in order to keep schools open, safeguard health system capacity, and protect the province’s most vulnerable populations.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
November 19
Ontario Launches Workplace Education and Enforcement Campaigns
Inspection Blitzes Helping to Stop the Spread of COVID-19 and Keep Workers Safe
The Ontario government is launching a series of education and enforcement campaigns to ensure businesses across the province are taking the necessary steps to keep employees, consumers and the public safe. These campaigns will support the current efforts of police, municipal by-law officers, and public health inspectors to educate businesses and enforce the COVID-19 health and safety requirements. Officers will be asking employers to produce their workplace safety plans.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
November 10
Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover Promotes Job Creation by Reducing Taxes on Employers
2020 Ontario Budget Enables Significant Provincial and Municipal Property Tax Relief
The Ontario government is proposing to give municipalities the flexibility to target property tax relief to small businesses. The province is also considering matching these reductions, which would provide small businesses with as much as $385 million in municipal and provincial property tax relief. This initiative is part of the 2020 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
November 3
Ontario Releases COVID-19 Response Framework to Help Keep the Province Safe and Open
Government Provides Additional Details on $300 Million to Support Eligible Businesses
In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, the Ontario government has developed the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework. It ensures that public health measures are targeted, incremental and responsive to help limit the spread of COVID-19, while keeping schools and businesses open, maintaining health system capacity and protecting vulnerable people, including those in long-term care.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
October 20
Ontario Invests $550 Million to Build and Upgrade Schools
New Projects will Deliver Modern, State-of-the-Art Classrooms and Licensed Child Care Spaces
The Ontario government is investing $550 million to build 20 new schools and eight permanent school additions across the province in 2020-21. These new projects will create nearly 16,000 new student learning spaces and 870 new licensed child care spaces as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to improve and build modern schools.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
October 5
Ontario Releases $35 Million to Hire More Staff, Improve Remote Learning in Targeted Communities
Investments Build on Province’s Robust $1.3 Billion Back-to-School Plan
Today, the Ontario government is announcing the allocation of $35 million to provide additional immediate school board supports in the communities of Peel, Ottawa, Toronto and York Region to enhance public health measures and protection strategies as they confront higher rates of transmission in their communities.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
October 2
Ontario Taking Action to Improve Child Care
Provincial Reports Highlight Government’s Progress to Improve the System
Today, Ontario is releasing two child care reports: Strengthening Early Years and Child Care in Ontario and the <em?Early Years and Child Care Annual Report 2020.
The Strengthening Early Years and Child Care in Ontario report details how Ontario is helping to provide more child care and before and after school spaces for parents, as well as increasing opportunities for home child care providers. The report was developed with input from families and sector partners. These same groups provided input into the review of the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
October 1
Ontario Revises COVID-19 Screening Guidance for Schools and Child Care
Updates Reflect Latest Public Health Advice
In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Ontario government is updating its COVID-19 school and child care screening guidance. This additional information will help parents determine when it is most appropriate for students, children and their families to seek a test for COVID-19.
The school and child care screening guidance is being updated with two sets of questions about symptoms and information to help parents make informed decisions about whether their children should attend school or child care, need to consult a health care provider, or get tested for COVID-19. The guidance can be found immediately at the COVID-19 Screening Tool for Children in School and Child Care, and the refreshed online tool will launch on Friday, October 2 for download.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
September 17
Ontario Introduces Legislation to Freeze Residential Rent in 2021
Proposed Bill Would Also Support Small Businesses by Extending the Ban on Commercial Evictions
The Ontario government has introduced the Helping Tenants and Small Businesses Act that would, if passed, freeze rent in 2021 for most rent-controlled and non-rent-controlled residential units. The bill would provide the vast majority of Ontario’s tenants with financial relief as the province continues down the path of renewal, growth and economic recovery.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
September 16 2020
Ontario Launches New COVID-19 Screening Tool to Help Protect Students and Staff
New Tool Part of the Government’s Plan for the Safe Reopening of Schools
The Ontario government launched a new voluntary interactive screening tool to assist parents, students and staff with the daily assessment of COVID-19 symptoms and risk factors that is required before attending school. The results will let parents, students, and education staff know whether they should attend school each day or guide at-risk individuals to proper resources. This tool is another layer of prevention that the province is using to protect the health and safety of students, staff, and the communities where they live and work.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
September 11 2020
Ontario Launches COVID-19 School and Licensed Child Care-specific Web Page
Daily Information Available to Parents and the General Public
Today, the Honourable Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Ontario Digital Service, issued a statement on making COVID-19 school-specific data publicly available online.
Click here to view the full statement on the Ontario Government website.
September 7 2020
Keeping Students and Staff Safe as They Return to School
Today, the Honourable Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education issued a statement on students returning to school over the coming days.
Click here to view the full statement on the Ontario Government website.
September 3 2020
Governments Extend Child Care Funding to Support Working Parents
Bilateral Agreement Will Ensure Child Care is Safe, Accessible and Affordable
Today, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Ahmed Hussen, Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced an additional investment through the one-year Canada-Ontario Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (ELCC) of nearly $147 million to Ontario for 2020-21. This funding will help licensed child care providers and EarlyON child and family centres.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
August 26 2020
Additional Funds Enhance Ontario’s Robust Back-to-School Plan
Funding Will be Used to Complement Provincial Health and Safety Measures Already in Place
The Ontario government’s back-to-school plan, developed in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials, is being further enhanced by additional federal investments and resources to support the return to class in the fall. Today’s federal announcement provides $381 million to Ontario, on top of the nearly $900 million provided by the province to support provincial back-to-school plans.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
August 26 2020
Ontario Releases COVID-19 Management Plan for Schools
Plan Prevents and Minimizes Outbreaks to Keep Students and Staff Safe
As part of Ontario’s plan for students to safely return to the classroom in September, the government has released the Operational Guidance: COVID-19 Management in Schools document. This guide was developed in consultation with public health experts, including Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, and aims to help schools identify and isolate COVID-19 cases, reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools, and prevent and minimize outbreaks.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
August 13 2020
Ontario Takes Additional Steps to Better Protect Students and Staff
Government Makes Further Investments to Ensure a Safe Return to School in September
The Ontario government is providing more than half a billion dollars in supports to school boards to ensure schools across the province will reopen safely in September and to protect students and staff. These supports will enable school boards to provide more physical distancing in classrooms and direct funding to utilize non-school community spaces, and will allow boards to make adjustments based on their local needs.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
August 7 2020
Historic Agreement Delivers Over $230 Million for Child Care
Safe Restart Agreement Will Support Ontario’s Plan to Safely Reopen Child Care and Early Years Programs
The Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government, is providing $234.6 million in funding to keep children and staff safe in child care and early years settings. This funding will help support enhanced cleaning costs as well as health and safety requirements set out to support the reopening of licensed child care and early years programs. This funding is in addition to the Ontario government’s continued commitment to stabilize the child care sector as many Ontarians return to work.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
July 30 2020
Ontario Continues to Gradually and Safely Reopen Child Care for Working Parents
Strict Protocols and Additional Supports to Keep Kids Safe and Align Child Care with Reopening of Schools
Today, the Ontario government announced its plan to allow licensed child care centres across Ontario to open at full capacity starting September 1, 2020. This decision was made in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the COVID-19 Command Table. As a result, parents will be able to return to work knowing their children are in a safe and supportive care setting.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
May 19 2020
Health and Safety Top Priority as Schools Remain Closed
Government Unveils Plans for Reopening Child Care, Day Camps and Initiatives to Strengthen Learning into the Summer
The Ontario government is protecting the health and safety of students during the COVID-19 outbreak by keeping schools closed for the rest of this school year. This decision was made after consulting with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, health experts on the COVID-19 Command Table, and medical experts at The Hospital for Sick Children. At the same time, the government is planning for the reopening of schools for the 2020-21 school year, the gradual reopening of child care, and the opening of summer day camps subject to the continuing progress in trends of key public health indicators.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
May 14 2020
Ontario Announces Additional Workplaces that Can Reopen
Additional Seasonal, Retail and Household Businesses Must Follow Public Health Guidelines
Today, the Ontario government announced the retailers, seasonal businesses and health and community service providers who will be permitted to open or expand their services on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., provided that the general trend on health indicators continues to improve as part of the first stage of the government’s reopening framework. The workplaces opening as part this stage are well-positioned to put workplace safety measures in place and get more people back to work, while not overburdening public transit and other services.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
May 9 2020
Ontario Government Supporting Parents as Economy Reopens
Province Protecting Child Care For Parents When They Return to Work
The Ontario Government is protecting licensed child care in Ontario during the COVID-19 outbreak by ensuring parents retain access to local licensed child care, as well as EarlyON Child and Family Centres. The government unveiled a plan that, together with federal and municipal partnership, provides supports to licensed child care providers to ensure they remain sustainable and ready to open when parents return to work.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
April 30 2020
Health and Safety Association Guidance Documents for Workplaces During the COVID-19 Outbreak
The Ontario government works closely with four provincial health and safety associations (HSAs) to help set, communicate and enforce the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
In partnership with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, the HSAs have released a series of more than 50 technical sector guidance documents to further support employers and employees in remaining safe in the workplace during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.
April 27 2020
Ontario Unveils Guiding Principles to Reopen the Province
Premier and Ministers Commit to New Phased Approach for a Safe Restart and Recovery
Today, the Ontario government released A Framework for Reopening our Province, which outlines the criteria Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and health experts will use to advise the government on the loosening of emergency measures, as well as guiding principles for the safe, gradual reopening of businesses, services and public spaces. The framework also provides details of an outreach strategy, led by the Ontario Jobs and Recovery Committee, to help inform the restart of the provincial economy.
Click here to view the full media release on the Ontario Government website.