TORONTO – Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell is pushing the province to help the NDP stop the spread of COVID-19 in Thunder Bay schools.
“In Thunder Bay, nearly 600 students and 55 staff are isolating at home right now due to school outbreaks. Teachers and educators are overwhelmed and families are worried. We need the government to provide the resources to make schools safer,” Monteith-Farrell said in a release issued on Wednesday, a day after Lakehead Public Schools’ board of trustees unanimously voted to urge the province and public health officials to move their schools to a virtual-only model for at least two weeks.
NDP education critic Marit Stiles said the Conservatives under Premier Doug Ford have not taken the issue of classroom spread seriously enough.
Thunder Bay, which moved to Red-Control last week after the province-wide lock-down ended, has seen its active case grow from 159 on Feb. 16, to 304 on Wednesday.
"Ford has continually refused calls to cap class sizes, ramp up asymptomatic in-school testing and improve schools' ventilation," said Stiles.
"Now we have the added threat of variants. The goal should be to invest in school safety so that they don’t have to close again – but across Ontario, the Ford government is still relying on a wing and a prayer to keep them open."
Public Health Ontario statistics show three variant cases in Thunder Bay, but while they have been detected and presumed, they have yet to be confirmed through sequencing. The local health unit is investigating.
The NDP on Wednesday called on the legislature to pass a motion capping class sizes at 15, while instituting a comprehensive in-school COVID-19 testing program and improved air quality in schools.
“We really believe in the positive solutions we’re bringing to the table,” said Monteith-Farrell. “Thunder Bay needs the Ford government to get on board, and start putting public health ahead of money and politics.”
