The Ford government just revoked two critical tools Ontario parents rely on for keeping our children safe:

1. Tracking and reporting Covid case counts in schools and daycares. This data enables parents to make decisions about our children's safety. Not monitoring and reporting Covid cases in schools and daycares is both irresponsible and cruel. This poorly thought-out decision must be reversed - immediately. 

2. PCR tests for Ontarians experiencing symptoms. By severely restricting PCR tests, the Ford government has struck down one of the only ways we have to protect our children - especially the thousands not yet eligible for vaccines.

All Ontarians deserve access to PCR tests, including children in daycare, and all staff in daycares and schools. If needed, federal funds provided to Ontario for Covid response should be harnessed immediately to restore broad access to PCR testing for Ontarians.

Without PCR tests, every cold means children will need to isolate for days at a time. This is untenable for working parents. If you want a healthy economy, you must enable working parents to work - not create more obstacles.

The new testing guidelines do not give daycare children access to PCR tests. It is profoundly unfair to put our smallest members of society, who aren't yet eligible for vaccines, at risk by not giving them access to take-home PCR tests.

We demand the government restore access to PCR tests to Ontarians, including children in daycare, and all staff in schools and daycares.

If Ontario fails to do the right thing, we urge local governments, and health units to step up: Urge schools and daycares to continue to track and report Covid cases; Develop testing guidelines based on science, evidence and compassion.