Province Plans to Proceed with April Break

Education Minister Stephen Lecce says they do plan to proceed with the Spring Break on April 12th, however he also stated they will continue to follow the advice of the Chief Medical Officer.

ONTARIO - Education Minister Stephen Lecce is telling parents they plan to proceed with the Spring Break as planned.

Right now, students and teachers are set to have their Spring break start on Monday April 12th. It was pushed back one month out of concerns of COVID-19, students travelling and then coming back to class. Yesterday Premier Doug Ford was pressed on whether the Province would delay the break again as case numbers continue to rise. He wouldn't give a concrete answer.

Speaking to reporters outside Queens Park today, Education Minister Stephen Lecce says they will continue to follow the Chief Medical Officer of Health's Advice. 

"Our government believes in following the best public health and science that comes to the cabinet. Obviously we are responding to a changing risk profile in the province. We obviously have committed ourselves to delay, not cancel, the March break moving into April. We are committed to respecting that. We've continued to follow the chief medical officer of health's advice. We're building out a plan and we will be announcing it in the coming days to further strengthen the safety of children and staff upon their re-entrance following the April break."

Lecce says they understand parents and teachers are frustrated. 

"We appreciate the challenge that this pandemic has imposed on working parents. We know this is not easy. Their patience, their flexibility, their commitments to work with government and their public health agencies I think at the core of our success in Ontario. We now deal with the variants of concern, we have to respond to this risk. I think parents expect us to make the tough decisions when appropriate. But when it comes to April break we plan to proceed. We'll continue to follow the best advice of the chief medical officer of health and if anything changes given the fluctuations we'll make sure all families know that well in advance."