City of Toronto cancels summer camps and recreation programs
Posted May 15, 2020 4:20 pm.
Last Updated May 15, 2020 8:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The City of Toronto has cancelled its summer camps and recreation programs due to coronavirus concerns.
Mayor John Tory said the City is trying to prepare an alternative program called CampTO, which would provide children with a camp experience that incorporates public health measures designed to reduce the risk of virus spread through physical distancing, smaller group sizes and more extensive cleaning and hygiene measures.
If permitted to operate, CampTO will provide 5,300 camp spaces per week for children ages 6 to 12 representing approximately 50 per cent of the typical City of Toronto camp capacity.
“Nothing is more important than the health of our children. In our current environment where it hasn’t yet been safe to have the schools open, we can hardly be going full steam ahead with summer camps,” said Tory.
The City says registration for CampTO will be announced once the province’s emergency orders are lifted and there is evidence of “significant and sustained” reduction in virus spread in the city.
“We know how important these camps are to the health of our children and their families, and I know how they are a fun part of summer,” said Dr. Eileen de Villa, the city’s Medical Officer of Health. “This is why my team is working with the City’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation division to provide guidance on how they can provide a modified version of summer day camps this year that are safe for our youth.”
