Ontario won't reopen schools for in-person learning this spring, Ford announces

Ontario students won't return to in-class learning before September, Premier Doug Ford announced at a news conference Wednesday.

"It was a hard choice to make," Ford said.

"I don't want to risk the health of our kids and cutting off their summer."

On Monday, Ford said his government was reviewing responses to aletter sent last Thursday thatsolicitedadviceon reopening schools from a range of expert groupsincluding public health officials andteachers' unions.

At Wednesday's newsconference, Ford said some experts believed students should be back in class, but they could not promise that kidsbeing back in schoolswouldn't lead to thousands of new COVID-19 cases, especially whenvariants of concern are considered.

In a news release, the province said recent modelling from theScience Advisory Table showed that if Ontario reopened schools to in-person learning, the province could see an increasein the number of new daily COVID-19 cases by six to 11 per cent.

That same modelling also predicted a spike in cases could occur if Ontariostarts reopeningthe province before mid-June something Ford said Wednesday he isnow proposing.

WATCH | Ford makes school announcement:

Ontario students not returning to in-class learning until fall

3 years ago

Duration 1:09

The Ontario government, fearing a resurgence of COVID-19, says students will not return to their classrooms this spring.

"By remaining cautious and vigilant, we protect our summer. We protect September," Education Minister Stephen Lecce said.

The province says schools will continue to remain open until the end of Junefor special education students who cannot be accommodated through remote learning.

Most students in Ontario have been learning remotely since April 19 due to soaring rates of COVID-19 amid the third wave of the pandemic.

Ford said the province is pushing for a "safe and normal" return to school in September."We'll use this time to get our teachers and students vaccinated," the premiersaid.

The province will also be making upgrades to air systems in schools, Ford said.

'Kids in the classroom were supposed to come first'

Critics slammed the province's decision Wednesday. During question period, NDP Leader Andrea Horwathpointed out that Ontario is the only province in Canada without kids in class.

"And there's a reason for that. It's not an accident," she said."This government walked us right into the third wave, ignoring the advice of experts.

"Kids in the classroom were supposed to come first. That was what was supposed to be the priority."

Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), said in a statement that Ford's government has failed to manage the pandemic by ignoring stakeholders, including recommendations from the science table.

"This advice included repeated calls for smaller class sizes, improved ventilation, and adequate personal protective equipment for educators," Hammond said.

"Under false pretenses, Minister Lecce spent nine months insisting schools were safe, without any evidence to confirm this. This government's utter disregard for the safety of students, educators and other education workers cannot be ignored."

In a statement, the Children's Health Coalition, which includes organizations such asSickKids and McMaster Children's Hospital, saidit is "deeply disappointed" that Ontario hasn't acted upon a "broad consensus for a regional reopening of in-person learning" reached by experts in public health and teachers' organizations alike.

"In the past 15 months, Ontario public students have only been in school for approximately five months," the statement reads. "There are few places in the worldwhere kids have been out of school more than Ontario, and no other Canadian province has had school closures this long."

The government is alsoworking with school boards on organizing in-person, outdoor graduation ceremonies for all grades, Ford said. The premier did not elaborate on how that would work. Only five people from outside a household are allowed to gather outside right now in Ontario.

"We can do this safely by sticking with our reopening plan," Fordsaid.

WATCH | The impact a pandemic school year has had on students and their future:

The impact a pandemic school year has had on students and their future

3 years ago

Duration 2:30

As Ontario pulls the plug on in-person classes until September, many are asking what students will have lost this past school year and how it can be regained come fall. As Chris Glover explains, teachers and experts are worried this cohort will struggle with the academic gaps of this pandemic.

When asked if COVID-19 vaccinations would be mandatory in schools for the upcoming school year, Ford saidhe doesn't believe people should be forced to take them.

"We can't force anyone to go get a vaccination. We encourage them," he said.

Kids over 12 now able to book vaccination appointment

The province says that to date, more than9.36 millionCOVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Ontario. A plan to accelerate second doses was releasedlast week. To date, the bulk of vaccinations have been first doses, with just 781,163 people fully vaccinated.

Officials say people 12 and over are currentlyeligible to schedule avaccine appointment through theprovincial booking systemand call centre, as well as atselect pharmaciesadministering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Ontario officials expectall youth over the age of 12 who want a vaccine will have a first dose by the end of June, and a second dose by the end of August. All education workers should have a second dose by the week of Aug. 15, the province says, depending on vaccine supply.

The province says emergency child care will continue until the end of June to align with the elementary school year, but before- and after-school programs will remain closed.

Licensed child-care centres can start hosting school-aged kids for full-day programming over the summer months in accordance with provincial health and safety guidance. Similarly, before- and after-school programs that operate as a camp over the summer will be allowed to do so, while following health and safety guidance from the province.