Summary
Today, Premier Ford, Minister Lecce and Minister Phillips announced that our government has launched the Support for Learners program. Through this program, our government will again be providing financial relief for families facing new education related expenses in the COVID-19 era with support totalling $380 million. Starting today, parents or guardians residing in Ontario can complete a simple online application through the Support for Learners web page. Applications will remain open until January 15, 2021.
Key Messages
- Our aim, during these extraordinarily challenging times, is to continue supporting those impacted hardest by the COVID-19 outbreak — Ontario families.
- We are focused on what matters most: student success and well-being in the classroom and beyond, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- COVID-19 has imposed many costs on families in this province, which is why we are again providing financial support by placing funds directly in the pockets of working parents.
- Our government, through the Support for Learners program, is providing a one-time funding of $200 for children and youth aged 0-12 and $250 for children and youth up to age 21 with special needs.
- The program will be providing financial relief for families to help offset additional learning costs, whether their children attend school in person, online or a mix of both, with support totaling $380 million.
- This investment in families builds on the $378 million provided to parents during the first wave of COVID-19. For example, an Ontario family with three children, including one with special needs, would receive $1,300 this year to help cover the costs of an accessible workspace and technology to enable learning online
- We remain committed to helping parents and families with the unprecedented challenges they are facing this school year.
News Links
Support for Learners Program website:
EN: Ontario.ca/SupportForLearners or https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-support-learners
FR: Ontario.ca/SoutienAuxApprenants or https://www.ontario.ca/fr/page/beneficiez-du-soutien-aux-apprenants