Supporting Frontline Essential Workers
Expanding eligibility for emergency child care
Since March, Ontario’s frontline staff have worked around the clock to save lives and protect families. Our PC government recognizes that as school closures are extended, more people, more emergency and front-line workers will need support in this province.
Given the extension of the closure of schools in southern public health units, to support Ontario families during this time, we are expanding eligibility for the emergency child care program for a broader number of frontline health and safety workers.
The emphasis of this temporary, emergency childcare program is on those parents who cannot work from home, for example, nurses, PSW’s, or EMS workers, and are most impacted by school closures as a result. Those eligible for this program include:
- Front-line staff in Children’s Aid Societies and residential services
- Individuals working in developmental services, violence against women services, and anti-human trafficking
- Individuals working in victims’ services, and those engaged in interpreting or intervenor services for persons who are deaf or deaf-blind
- Individuals working in a homeless shelter or providing services to homeless persons
- Food safety inspectors and individuals working in the processing, manufacturing or distribution of food and beverages
- Provincial court services personnel, including Indigenous court workers
- OPS staff employed in Radiation Protection Services
- RCMP and Canada Border Services
- Canada Post
- Pharma and medical device manufacturing and distribution
- Power workers
- Non-municipal water and wastewater workers
- Education staff who are required to attend schools to provide in-person instruction and support to students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated through remote learning
- Employees of a hotel or motel that is acting as an isolation centre, health care centre, vaccine clinic or housing essential workers.
We recognize the difficulties this pandemic has imposed on all families, and we are committed to supporting them, with direct financial support for parents as well as with other measures, like hydro relief.