Free menstrual products will reduce barriers for students across Ontario. The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, many of our member boards, and student trustees have been calling on the government to provide dedicated funding for the purchase of menstrual products.

On September 30, in schools across Ontario, students, staff, and school communities will be commemorating the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, which more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children were forced to attend between the 1870s and 1997.

We must do all we can to give our schools the greatest chance of staying open for in-person learning, which is vital to the mental health and development of our students. This vaccination regime, with frequent testing for those who choose to not receive or disclose having received a COVID-19 vaccine, is a positive step towards helping school boards ensure the safest possible environment for our students, staff, and school communities. Conversations about the best approach to mitigate the presence of COVID-19 in public schools must be continued.

We are very disappointed with the government’s decision today to go against the advice of Public Health Officials and the recommendation of school boards about the importance of reopening our schools.

The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) is releasing a new Discussion Paper, Transitioning from the COVID-19 School Experience, that reveals two compelling realities that must be addressed following the COVID-19 pandemic.