Ford government announces financial support, launches online application portal for parents

By Lucas Casaletto

The Ford government has announced it’s launching an online portal for parents or guardians with children aged 12 and under to collect additional financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of Monday, parents can complete a simple online application through the ‘Support for Learners‘ web page.

Speaking in Vaughan, education minister Stephen Lecce said applications will remain open until Jan. 15, 2021.

“During this very difficult period, our parents have been the unsung heroes in the fight against COVID-19, whether it’s screening their child before school or assisting them with remote learning,” Premier Doug Ford said on Monday.

“Parents have been there for us, and our government will continue to be there for them. That’s why we’re providing additional payments to help families with some of the costs of learning and childcare as we battle the second wave of COVID-19.”

As part of Ontario’s 2020 budget, Ford said the new ‘Support for Learners‘ program will provide direct one-time payments to help offset additional learning costs. This funding covers families and students that attend school in person, online, or a mix of both.

Lecce said parents or guardians residing in Ontario can complete one application per child to receive a one-time payment of:

A) $200 for each child aged 0 to 12; or

B) $250 if their child or youth is aged 0 to 21 with special needs

The Ford government also announced additional financial relief for families facing “new education-related expenses in the COVID-19 era” with support totalling $380 million.

“COVID-19 has imposed many costs on families in this province, which is why we are again providing financial support directly in the pockets of working parents,” said Lecce.

“Our priority remains keeping schools safe and open, and supporting families every step of the way through this incredible challenge.”

On Sunday, testing of asymptomatic students and staff at Thorncliffe Park Public School led to the discovery of 19 positive cases of COVID-19 at the school.

Ontario is reporting just over 100 new COVID-19 cases across its school boards on Monday, with over 1,185 cases confirmed in the past 14 days.

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