Students in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario health regions heading back to classrooms on Monday

By Mike Vlasveld

The Government of Ontario is permitting in-person learning within the Ottawa and Eastern Ontario health regions, starting next week.

They are two of four health units across the province which will see students get back on buses and into their regular classrooms on Monday, February 1. The Middlesex-London Health Unit and Southwestern Public Health are the two other regions included in the province's announcement, Thursday, January 28.

Minister of Education Stephen Lecce says tougher health and safety measures are expected to be in place at the schools within the permitted districts, starting next week.

“The government agrees with the growing consensus in the medical community that returning students to in-person learning is essential to the wellbeing, development and mental health of children,” explains the minister. “According to leading medical and scientific experts, including Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, our province's schools are safe places for learning.”

As more students and staff return to in-person learning, Lecce says the government is introducing stronger masking protocols to include Grades 1-to-3, expanding access to targeted asymptomatic testing, and implementing stricter screening protocols.

The provincial government says local public health units will continue to have the authority to close schools based on their unique circumstances, and parents may choose to permit their children to continue learning remotely.

Before and after school child care programs in the permitted health regions will also be allowed to start back up on February 1, while emergency child care will end on January 29. 

Here is the official list of Ontario school boards expected to have students back in class, starting on Monday:

  • Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario
  • Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario
  • Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l'Est ontarien
  • Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Centre-Est de l'Ontario
  • London District Catholic School Board
  • Ottawa Catholic District School Board
  • Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
  • Thames Valley District School Board
  • Upper Canada District School Board

In the health units where schools are continuing with remote learning, before and after school programs continue to be closed and emergency child care remains available to support children of frontline workers.

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