Lecce announces additional $25M in ventilation funding for schools

Ontario schools are getting an additional $25 million to help improve ventilation in preparation for the return to in-person learning.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the money — which is for 20,000 HEPA filters — is meant to help ensure that all occupied classrooms, gyms, libraries and other such spaces have standalone filters if they don’t have mechanical ventilation.

He said junior and senior kindergarten classrooms will also get HEPA units even if they are in mechanically ventilated schools, since kids in those grades won’t be required to wear masks.

The government previously announced more than $500 million in ventilation improvements are underway.

This comes a day after the province unveiled its back-to-school plan, which will see students resume extra-curriculars and skip masks outdoors; however, teachers won’t be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

In its plan, the province said 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, and schools without are expected to have standalone HEPA filter units in all classrooms.

When it comes to masks, all students from Grades 1 to 12 will be required to wear them indoors with “reasonable exceptions,” and all staff and visitors will be under the same directive. Masks will also be required on all school vehicles.

Masks can be temporarily removed, with a minimum physical distancing of two metres, when eating/drinking or engaging in low-contact physical activity (gym class).

Students won’t have to wear masks outdoors, but distancing is encouraged.

Kindergarten students are “encouraged but not required” to wear masks indoors and on school vehicles.