Additional Ontario workers who are deemed essential will be getting some extra peace of mind when it comes to their children.
Premier Doug Ford announced Wednesday afternoon that workers in retirement homes, grocery stores, and other businesses are now eligible to receive emergency child care at no cost to them. The benefit has also been extended to employees in the food supply chain, pharmacies, and certain federal positions including the Canadian Forces.
Forty licenced child care facilities were reopened across Ontario last month, subject to physical distancing guidelines. Now, 37 additional centres will be reopened in the coming days.
Ford said the move is giving workers in vital industries reassurance that finding care for their children will be available and not break the bank.
"While our frontline workers are looking after us, we need to make sure we're looking after them and their families," said Ford. "Providing emergency child care for our essential workers gives parents one less thing to worry about when they're on the job saving lives, protecting us, or keeping shelves stocked with food and necessities."
Other professions now eligible for the no-cost emergency child care are truck drivers with Class A and D licencing, auxiliary workers in health care settings, interpreters for deaf people, and emergency personnel with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Complete information on these new guidelines, and a listing of child care centres involved, is available on the official provincial website.
