Ontario truck drivers can access emergency childcare during Covid-19

by Today’s Trucking

April 29, 2020

childcare

TORONTO, Ont. – Ontario truck drivers with a Class A or D licence have been added to the list of essential workers eligible to receive free emergency child care during the fight against Covid-19.

About 100 child care centers have reopened in the last month along with 40 licensed home child care agencies. Another 37 centers are to reopen in coming days.

“While our frontline workers are looking after us, we need to make sure we’re looking after them and their families,” said Ontario Premier Doug 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 frontline workers who will be able to access the childcare services include:

Workers in grocery stores and pharmacies

Workers in the food supply chain, including food processing

Workers in retirement homes

Auxiliary workers in health care settings, including cooks and cleaning staff in hospitals and long-term care homes

Interpreters and intervenors who support people who are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing and deafblind

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) emergency personnel

Provincial officers and onsite staff in Ontario courts

Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence staff working in Ontario

Additional workers supporting public safety and correctional services

A list of the emergency child care centres is available on Ontario.ca/coronavirus. Each is required to have a protocol that would apply if a child, parent or staff member is exposed to Covid-19.