Reopening schools safely is our #1 priority

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Dear Neighbour,

It's almost the end of August. I have fond memories of taking my children each year to pick up new school supplies at this time of year! Yet, we all recognize that this year is different.

Since March, the Government of Ontario has been working with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and leading experts to prepare for an eventual reopening of schools in a safe and responsible manner, while continuously adapting to the changing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To ensure schools across the province will reopen safely in September and to protect students and staff, the Ontario government is providing more than half a billion dollars in supports to school boards. 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.

These funds to support safe reopening are in addition to the $736 million increase in funding through the Grants for Student Needs (GSN) program for the 2020-21 school year, representing the largest investment in public education in Ontario's history.

Earlier this week, the Federal Government announced additional funding for education, with $381 million being allocated to Ontario in the first phase. This funding will be used by the province to further enhance our safe and responsible plan to reopen schools in Ontario through several priority provincial initiatives including:

Reopening Plan Implementation - $200 million
→ $100 million to complement the health and safety components of school reopening plans, in consultation with local public health units, including the hiring of custodians, HVAC, improvements, internet connectivity for students and other local needs.
→ $30 million to support additional PPE for schools.
→ $70 million for the temporary hiring of educators as required.

Student Transportation - $70 million
→ $44.5 million in support of the Driver Retention Program (DRP).
→ $25.5 million for route protection and to help reduce the number of students on buses.

Special Education and Mental Health Supports Enhancement - $12.5 million
→ Will allow boards to hire and train additional staff and provide more mental health supports for students.

Additional Public Health Nurses - $12.5 million
→ Supports up to 125 additional nursing positions in public health units across the province to help schools manage potential COVID-19 cases.

Remote Learning - $36 million
→ Ensures that every school board offering virtual learning has a dedicated principal and administrative support for both its secondary and elementary virtual schools.

The Government continues to take additional measures to maximize safety and minimize the risk to your children. Just as many schools have fire safety and emergency response plans, we have been working hand in hand with medical experts to develop a plan that will allow schools to quickly and effectively find, isolate and contain a COVID-19 case or outbreak.

On Wednesday, the government released Operational Guidance: COVID-19 Management in Schools, a comprehensive document developed in consultation with public health experts, including Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, that aims to help schools identify and isolate COVID-19 cases, reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools, and prevent and minimize outbreaks.

The government’s plan includes:

→ A protocol developed to deal with students who become ill while they are at school, including isolation, and providing PPE to the ill student and staff attending to them.
→ A clear communications process will be followed, so parents will know if a student or staff member in your child’s school tests positive for COVID-19.
→ School boards will be required to work closely with local public health units to communicate updates in real time, and determine whether a class or school must be closed.
→ Led by Ontario Public Health, the government intends to surveillance test asymptomatic secondary students in our schools.
→ Defined protocols that trigger various levels of public health responses or infection control measures.

Parents can rest assured knowing that our government remains committed to the health and safety of all students, families and staff, and leaning on the advice of medical experts who are helping to develop and support our plan.

My constituency office is currently open by appointment only. If you are in need of any assistance, you can make an appointment by calling my constituency office at (416) 781-2395 or email me at robin.martin@pc.ola.org.

To a safe back-to-school,

Robin Martin, MPP
Eglinton-Lawrence

(416) 781-2395 - robin.martin@pc.ola.org

Available Supports for Individuals and Businesses

Think you have COVID-19 Symptoms or have been in close contact with some who does? Click here for a self-assessment.

COVID-19 Assessment Centres in Ontario

HIGHLIGHTS
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

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.
The Ontario Government is investing $455,000 from the Ontario Together Fund in Dairy Distillery to retool its operations and increase its capacity to manufacture hand sanitizer to help in the response to the fight against COVID-19.
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.
The Ontario Government announced frontline victims services organizations will receive $7.65 million over five years in funding for specialized services to support human trafficking victims and survivors as part of the government's comprehensive anti-human trafficking strategy.
The Ontario and federal governments are partnering with 3M Canada to expand its Brockville, Ontario manufacturing facility to produce made-in-Ontario N95 respirators. Both levels of government are investing $23.33 million to support 3M's capital investment of $70 million.
The Ontario Government is investing $43 million in expanded youth training programs to give young people exposure to more employment options. In addition, Ontario is appointing three Youth Advisors to engage with youth, educators, business, parents and other key partners as well as the Minister of Labour Training and Skills Development on how to reduce stigma and make the trades a viable first choice for young people.

For the most up-to-date COVID-19 information from the Government of Ontario visit ontario.ca/coronavirus

HIGHLIGHTS
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The Federal Government announced $82.5 million in mental health and wellness supports to help Indigenous communities adapt and expand mental wellness services, improving access and addressing growing demand, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Visitors who are currently in Canada and have a valid job offer will be able to apply for an employer-specific work permit and, if approved, receive the permit without having to leave the country.
To help support workers and provide certainty for employers, the Federal Government has proposed to extend the current treatment of furloughed employees under the CEWS program by 4 weeks – from August 30 to September 26.
The Federal Government has also announced the extension of CERB for an additional 4 weeks.

HIGHLIGHTS
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

Beginning September 10, 2020, short-term rental operators will need to start registering with the City in order to operate in Toronto. Registration is a necessary first step to allow the City to effectively administer the new rules applicable to short-term rentals.
People who are currently renting their home on a short-term basis, or planning to do so, must be registered by December 31, 2020.
Toronto Public Health has received a
positive laboratory report identifying Toronto’s first reported case of West Nile virus for 2020 in an adult resident.
The City of Toronto announced the extension of the outdoor sport field season. The City’s outdoor sport and multi-use fields will remain open until Sunday, October 25 and permits will be issued for the remainder of the 2020 season.