Federal Safe Restart Funding Issue Report September 24, 2020

Report to: Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB

From: Donna Stewart, Director of Integrated Social Services and Lori Clark, Children's Program Supervisor

Date: September 24, 2020

Re: Federal Safe Restart Funding - Issue Report
 

Background

On August 14, 2020 staff received a memo from the Ministry of Education (MEDU) advising of Federal Safe Restart Funding. The funding supports a shared commitment by the Ontario and Federal governments to ensure a safe, sufficient, and adequate supply of child care is available to support the gradual return to work of parents as the economy reopens.

The Government of Canada has committed to provide $625M in new funding nationwide to help the child care sector adapt to the COVID-19 environment. In Ontario, SRF will provide $234.6M in new funding and will complement existing provincial investments.

The investment will consist of two components:

• Funding will be used by the Province to procure and deliver face coverings directly to operators and licensed home child care agencies across Ontario in order to comply with the Ministry’s reopening operational guidance.

• In addition to face coverings, funding will be provided through CMSMs and DSSABs to operators which can be used for additional personal protective equipment (PPE, such as gloves, gowns, etc.), enhanced cleaning, additional staff to meet health and safety requirements, support for short term vacancies as operators transition to return to full capacity, and minor capital required in accordance with Ministry’s reopening operational guidance or local public health requirements. 
   

Financial Impact

The Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB allocation is $894,181. It is expected funds will be received in early October. Staff are finalizing plans to distribute the funds to providers, the allocations will be based on provider licence capacity.

Staff will be required to track and monitor expenditures as well as service data including the number of licensed child care centres and licenced spaces, the number of EarlyON Child and Family Centres and the number of licensed home child care agencies and homes supported by SRF.

A reporting tool is being developed to track provider expenditures to streamline reporting to MEDU.
 

Conclusion

This funding will help support child care centres in their efforts to ensure a safe environment for both children and staff so that parents can return to work with confidence.