Ontario announces $25M additional funding for ventilation in schools

The Ford government announced an additional $25 million in ventilation funding for schools as students get ready to return to full-time in-person learning in the fall.

The funding is aimed to help all schools across the province achieve the new standardized filtration for “all-occupied learning environments.”

“With yesterday’s release of health and safety measures for schools, students have a safe path to return to a more normal, in-person, full-time learning environment, which is critical to their mental and physical health,” said Education Minister Stephen Lecce.

“We are following the best expert advice by ensuring all schools have improved air ventilation to help ensure schools remain as safe as possible.”

Lecce says the additional funding will allow the province to deploy 70,000 ventilation devices, including 20,000 standalone HEPA filters.

Standalone HEPA units, which are required in all classrooms in schools that don’t have mechanical ventilation. Schools with mechanical ventilation are expected to use the highest-grade filters possible and turn their systems on at least two hours before school starts.

The province says any leftover funding will be allocated to school boards across the province to provide additional HEPA filters when necessary.

“There is a benefit to improving ventilation in indoor settings to enhance both overall indoor air quality and COVID-19 risk reduction in schools,” said Dr. Karim Kurji, Medical Officer of Health for York Region, in a statement. “We must also continue to follow all other public health measures, and I encourage everyone eligible to receive their vaccines to help avoid a resurgence of cases.”

The education minister made the announcement from St. Robert Catholic High School in Thornhill, alongside the province’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore and MPP for Markham-Thornhill Logan Kanapathi and Kurji.

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Lecce was again questioned on the provincial government’s decision not to mandate vaccines for children 12 and up. He says the government is respecting the decision of individuals while advocating that everyone gets vaccinated.

“Our aim is to encourage vaccination at a voluntary level,” says Lecce. “It is promising to see the general population numbers move north of 80 per cent.”

“A great level of partnership with public health units and school boards, to their credit of really encouraging parents, staff and students themselves to get a vaccine. We believe by doing so, we will help restore that more normal school experience we all aspire to achieve.”

The announcement on ventilation comes a day after the province unveiled its back-to-school plan, which will see students resume extra-curricular and skip masks outdoors.

But those in Grades 1 and higher will still need to mask up indoors. Students are not required to wear masks outdoors, and younger children in kindergarten are not required to wear them.

Elementary and high schools will reopen with classes five days a week; however, cohorting will remain for elementary students, who will be in one cohort for the entire day. Cohorted lessons will stay together with one teacher, where possible.

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With files from the Canadian Press