Type of Intervention: Specific Action
Sectors Involved: Education, Health
Intervention Categories: Social and physical distancing measures; Reopening schools; Planning and strategy; Creation of or release of plans
Level of Jurisdiction: Ontario
Lead People/Agency: Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health, COVID-19 Command Table public health officials
Overview: The Ontario government announced its plan to reopen licensed child care centres at full capacity across the province starting September 1, 2020. In addition to private licensed child care centres, provincially-owned EarlyON Child and Family Centres will also be able to reopen with in-person programming and before and after-school programs for school-aged children. Centres will be allowed to operate at full capacity, with standard ratios and meeting maximum group size requirements. As part of the plan, the government announced that increased health and safety procedures, including mandating staff to wear masks at all times, frequent cleaning, screening of children and staff prior to entering, and maintaining clear attendance records for the purpose of contact tracing. Reopening child care centres intends to help parents to return to work as Ontario’s economy reopens.
Full details here: https://news.ontario.ca/edu/en/2020/07/ontario-continues-to-gradually-and-safely-reopen-child-care-for-working-parents.html
Other links: 1
Type of Justification: Advice of INTERNAL government advisory committee or group
Source of Evidence or Justification: Sub-national, Chief Medical Officer of Health and COVID-19 Command Table
Evidence/Justification: This decision and planning was made in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the health officials on Ontario’s COVID-19 Command Table. The government justifies the plan as a tool to allow parents to return to work as Ontario’s economy reopens. They provide links to the Ministry of Education’s operational guidance document for child care reopening as well as a provincial plan to provide funding support for the child care sector during COVID-19 recovery.