September 3, 2021: Returning to in-person learning

This letter is available many languages.

Dear Ontario Parents,

We hope your summer is going very well. With the return to in-person learning this September, we are excited to see students heading back to class for a more normal learning experience – alongside their friends and teachers. We know that in-person learning is essential for the mental and physical health, academic achievement, and overall well-being of our young people.

Developed in consultation with medical experts, including the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and in review of the Provincial Science Table report, the measures we are taking are designed to keep students as safe as possible when at school.

In the 2021–22 school year, students across the province will:

  • return to in-person learning for the full school day, though synchronous remote learning will remain an option
  • learn in classrooms supported by physical distancing, and enhanced cleaning
  • be able to participate in extracurricular activities, clubs, music, and the arts, as well as a full range of sports within the school and through inter-school sport activities with some modifications
  • benefit from improved ventilation and other air quality infrastructure upgrades, including HEPA units in all kindergarten classrooms and in all learning spaces that are not connected to mechanical ventilation systems

More details of the plan are available on the Ministry of Education’s website.

In addition, our government is working with public health units and publicly funded school boards to plan and host voluntary vaccination clinics in or nearby schools to continue to fight COVID‑19. Clinics are expected to run before school starts and during the first few weeks of school. The program is part of the province’s last mile strategy to target those who have yet to receive a first or second dose and will provide accessible and convenient access to voluntary vaccines for eligible students and their families, as well as educators and school staff who are returning to school this fall.

We are dedicating more than $80 million in funding for student mental health supports. That’s more than four times the investments made in 2017-18 under the previous government.

Making Ontario’s return to school as safe as possible is supported by significant investments, including more than $1.6 billion in targeted COVID‑19 supports, and $85.5 million in learning recovery and renewal to help students overcome any learning gaps the pandemic has created.

Improving air quality in schools is critically important for keeping school communities safe from COVID‑19. That’s why I’m proud to add that our government has invested more than $600 million to improve school ventilation systems, following emerging scientific advice throughout the pandemic. That’s on top of the $1.4 billion in annual funding we provide to school boards to renew school facilities, including HVAC and windows.

Improvements to ventilation have been made across all schools and all boards in Ontario. In total, we will have provided over 70,000 standalone HEPA filtration units and other ventilation devices to keep classrooms safe.

To improve air quality at schools with mechanical ventilation, we are instructing boards to use the highest-grade filters – MERV-13 where possible –  perform more frequent filter changes, operate air systems longer, and calibrate HVAC systems for maximum air flow and fresh air intake. For our youngest learners in junior and senior kindergarten, we are placing a standalone HEPA filter in their classrooms – regardless of whether or not the school has mechanical ventilation – as an added layer of protection. In the interest of transparency, we will provide school boards with a standardized public reporting tool on ventilation improvements.

Our government will continue to work closely with the education sector and medical experts to help ensure that the safety, well-being, and academic success of students remains front and centre. As part of that commitment, the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health has released updated guidance to local public health units on the management of COVID‑19 cases, contacts, and outbreaks. The guidance covers key topics associated with the management of COVID‑19 in school settings, including guidance for managing symptomatic individuals, probable and confirmed cases, and suspected and confirmed outbreaks.

Our vaccine rollout continues. Vaccines are our best defence against COVID‑19 and variants, and will help protect our students, our loved ones, and our communities from illness. And as Ontario’s Minister of Education, my top priority will always be the health and safety of the province’s students, educators, and parents. I thank all of you for the patience and resilience you have demonstrated through some very challenging times. Let’s continue our positive momentum and keep working together to ensure our kids are safe, as they enjoy a well-deserved, more normal school year.

I wish everyone a safe and happy return to school.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education

Minister's letters to parents in many languages (PDFs)

April 25, 2021: Doubling the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit

This letter is available many languages.

Dear Ontario Parents,

There is no question that Ontarians have shown incredible fortitude and determination throughout this pandemic. It has been a difficult period, filled with unexpected challenges and financial pressures. That is why, since the beginning of the pandemic, our government has stepped up to provide Ontario families with direct financial support.

I am pleased to remind you that we are now increasing that support by doubling the next round of payments to parents through the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit. Under this new round of funding, parents will receive $400 for each child aged 0 to Grade 12 and $500 for children and youth 21 years old or younger with special needs. This doubles the payments in the last round under the previous Support for Learners program.

Parents who received Support for Learners payments will automatically receive the new benefit starting April 26, 2021. Parents who did not apply for or receive the Support for Learners program can apply for the new funding starting May 3 to May 17. More details on how to apply for this new round will be available in the coming weeks on the new Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit web page. 

This investment is part of the 2021 Ontario Budget, focused on protecting people’s health and our economy. The Ontario government remains steadfast in its commitment to do everything it can to fight COVID-19, ensure the safety of our students and staff, and lay the foundation for a strong economic recovery.

COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our society, but we recognize that the pandemic has been particularly challenging for parents with school-age children. That’s why, throughout this pandemic, our government has flowed money quickly into the hands of parents, recognizing that families need and deserve some assistance right now – and that parents know best the needs of their family.

The arrival of vaccines means that there is hope on the horizon.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education

Minister's letters to parents in many languages (PDFs)

Week of April 11, 2021: Keeping schools safe and open

Dear Ontario Parents:

As our province's fight against COVID-19 continues and April break begins, I want to take this opportunity to update you on the Ontario government's efforts to keep schools safe and open. I also want to express my heartfelt thanks for the incredible strength and resilience shown by our students, education staff, and your families during this challenging period.

During the provincial emergency brake and the provincial stay-at-home order, all publicly funded and private elementary and secondary schools will remain open for in-person learning with strict health and safety measures in place, except in those regions where local public health units have directed schools in their areas to pivot to remote learning.

As Premier Ford has said many times, our priority remains keeping schools safe and open for in-class instruction because learning is critical to the continued development and mental health of our children.

With appropriate public health and safety measures in place, Dr. David Williams, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, has been clear that schools remain safe. In fact, Ontario has one of the lowest case rates for young people under 19 years old in Canada. This is due to Ontario parents leading by example by following the rules, as well as a comprehensive safety plan that has ensured that more than 99 per cent of students and staff do not have an active case of COVID-19. In fact, since September, 99.2 per cent of students and 98.7 per cent of staff never reported an active case.

With that said, we are not taking anything for granted. To ensure a safe return from April break, we are adding additional layers of protection, including:

  • on-site confirmation of screening of all students and staff
  • enhanced cleaning and disinfecting during the April break
  • province-wide asymptomatic testing expansion
  • voluntary health and safety refresher training upon return from April break
  • outdoor learning whenever possible

Under the Ontario government's plan, expanded access to asymptomatic testing is available for students and staff at pharmacies that offer testing and in 180 assessment centres across the province for the week of April 12 to 18, 2021. Children attending child care, and child care staff, will also be eligible to access this testing.

To best protect education staff and students, we are accelerating access to the vaccine. While supply remains a challenge, as of April 12, 2021, eligible education workers who provide direct support to students with special education needs across the province, and all education workers in select hot spot areas, starting in Toronto and Peel, will be eligible to register for vaccination.

I want to reiterate, that as you and people you know receive the vaccine, it is important that everyone continue to wear a mask and maintain physical distancing when outside of their immediate household. Additionally, I encourage you to continue monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 and get tested if symptoms are present. Ontario's Ministry of Health has created a fact sheet with more advice on staying safe after you have been vaccinated.

I am appealing to every one of you – recognizing the fatigue many have after more than a year of sacrifice – to remain vigilant. The trends are worrisome and the case numbers are rising. We cannot be complacent, because if we let our guard down, school safety can be compromised. I am therefore asking you all to continue to lead by example by strictly following the rules, including taking a zero-tolerance approach to congregating with those outside your household.

We are supporting student mental health in many ways, including by more than doubling funding to hire more psychologists, psychotherapists and mental health workers in schools. Those supports continue to be available to students at this critical time, both in-person and remotely. School Mental Health Ontario has developed a variety of online mental health resources for parents and families that can help support your child.

We also recognize parents have faced hardship. We continue to meet regularly with our Parent Involvement Committee Chairs and board leads responsible for parent engagement to hear of successes, challenges, and anticipated needs. Our government will work to ensure our schools are safe for in-person learning, while increasing financial support to families during this global pandemic. For that reason, I'm pleased to confirm to parents that our government is again providing direct payments to parents, as part of the expanded Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit.

The new $980-million program doubles the direct one-time funding to parents to $400 per child up to Grade 12, and $500 for a child or youth with special needs. Starting April 26, these payments will be provided automatically to parents who received previous Support for Learners payments. Parents who did not apply for or did not receive the Support for Learners payment are encouraged to apply for the Ontario COVID-19 Child Benefit during the period of May 3 to 17.

As more and more people get vaccinated, I am confident that Ontario will defeat this pandemic, so long as we remain united in our resolve to listen to public health advice, follow safety protocols and support each other. Your children are Ontario's greatest strength and source of inspiration. It is for them that we must continue to work together to save lives, to protect our communities, and ensure students can return to class, where they belong.

Please stay safe and positive,

Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education

January 2, 2021: Protecting what matters most

Dear Ontario Parents,

It has been a trying year for all Ontarians. Yet, through the greatest challenges we faced, our province – most especially inspired by our students, parents and education staff – came together. Unified in our effort to stop the spread and save lives.

Thank you for your dedication. We believe so strongly that schools are essential to the well-being, mental health and development of a child, and therefore, must be safeguarded at all costs to ensure they can remain open for safe in-class instruction.

Protecting what matters most

As we face rising case numbers, the government announced a Provincewide Shutdown that put in place time-limited public health and workplace safety measures to help ensure our schools remain safe, to stop the spread of COVID-19 transmission in communities, and to save lives.

Now, while leading medical experts have been clear that schools are not a source of rising community transmission, we can and will be an important part of the solution to save lives from COVID-19.

That is why we are following the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health by taking proactive and preventative action to protect schools following the holiday break.

As part of these new restrictions, elementary and secondary school students across the province will learn remotely for the first week of January, as everyone can play a part in staying home and stopping the spread of COVID-19.

Recognizing the importance of in-person learning, students will return to class across the province in January:

  • elementary school students enrolled in in-person learning will return to class on January 11, 2021
  • secondary school students enrolled in in-person learning in northern Public Health Units will also return to class on January 11, 2021
  • remaining secondary school students enrolled in in-person learning across the remainder of Public Health Units will return to class on January 25, 2021

Elementary and secondary students currently enrolled in remote learning will continue to learn remotely throughout January.

Supporting quality online learning

Our government has made every effort to prepare for schools transitioning temporarily to remote learning. We have directed that a minimum standard for grades 1 to 12 of 75% of your child’s 300 minutes of daily instruction is to be delivered by live “Zoom-style” (i.e. synchronous learning). To ensure a better learning experience, every teacher in this province received mandatory training on remote learning, before the school year began.

Ontario stands alone in creating a comprehensive online learning management system that ensures teachers can engage students in live, synchronous learning, send and receive assignments, and participate in discussions in a secure environment.

We have also prepared for this by supporting the purchase of over 150,000 new devices for students to support remote learning, and over 8,000 connectivity devices for students unable to access internet at home.

We know some students with special education needs cannot be supported through remote learning. That is why I have directed school boards to provide for in-person learning for these exceptional cases, ensuring these children receive consistency and full supports through this difficult period. We are committed to their safety and success.

Financial relief for parents

Learning from home means extra costs for many families. We will continue to deliver support to families during this pandemic. In fact, we are on track to deliver nearly $800 million in direct financial relief to parents and guardians – where it belongs, to be quite frank. That is why we launched the Support for Learners program in the first place – to support families with children aged 0 to 12 with $200 per child and $250 per child up to age 21 with special education needs. If you haven’t already applied, you can still apply for this one-time financial support up to the extended deadline of February 8, 2021.

We are also expanding this program to include financial supports for high school students, recognizing added costs from technology to internet for these parents while their kids stay home for a longer period. Starting on January 11, 2021, families with students aged 13 to grade 12 can apply for a one-time payment for their children up until February 8, 2021. The expanded program will now cover:

  • $200 for each child up to grade 12, including students in secondary school who are over 18
  • $250 if the child or youth is 21 years or under with special needs

Enhancing child care safety

While child care will remain open for the duration of these time-limited public health actions, we are enhancing the already strict screening requirements and safety protocols to ensure they remain safe places for your children. This includes child care offered in licensed child care centres, in licensed home child care, in extended day programs, and by authorized recreational and skill-building providers.

In response to the needs of frontline health and emergency workers who have school-aged children and may require support during this period, we are implementing a targeted emergency child care program, at no cost to eligible parents, from January 4 to 8, 2021.

Keeping schools safe into 2021

I want to reassure parents that according to the province’s leading doctors, our schools are safe, with eight out of ten schools in this province having no cases of COVID-19 and based on board reporting, 99.64% of students have not reported a case of COVID-19. The province has experienced a safe reopening because we developed a comprehensive, nation-leading plan in partnership with experts in the medical community.

Our strength through this pandemic has been the resilience of our students, hard work of our staff, collaboration with parents, and commitment of government to step up our response every step of the way. To ensure our schools remain safe in January 2021 and beyond, we will continue and enhance testing in schools and allocate a new and significant investment in school safety, including in enhanced air quality, more PPE, and additional staffing and cleaning. We will do whatever it takes to ensure our kids can continue to learn.

This pandemic has impacted every corner of our province. When I say that the health and safety of our kids is my top priority, I am also thinking of their mental health. This has been a uniquely challenging period – it has been accompanied by feelings of anxiety, isolation, and anguish.

That is why we have nearly doubled mental health investments this year to unprecedented levels in the province’s history, for our students and staff, to ensure they know we are here for them. Those services will continue while students learn from home. The priority right now remains the health of your child, which is why we want to make clear the expanded mental health supports are available.

To access these mental health resources, please visit www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-support-students-and-parents#section-5.

Let’s remain hopeful

I remain optimistic that 2021 will be a better year with the vaccine coming online. Students are looking to all of us – parents, educators, school boards and government – to instill confidence in their hearts. To demonstrate a collective resolve to win this battle against this invisible global threat. And I assure you – we will continue to work together and work around the clock to protect your child, their learning experience, and safety. Nothing matters more.

By sticking together and by following public health directives, we will overcome this difficulty with hope, unity, and optimism.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Stephen Lecce
Minister of Education