Ontario Expanded Who Can Get Free Child Care Right Now & 15 More Jobs Made The List

The free child-care program has been extended until January 25 because of school closures.

Narcity.com
Jan. 11, 2021

If you're a mail carrier, social worker, or RCMP officer in Southern Ontario, you're now eligible for Ontario's free child-care program.

On Saturday, Ontario's education minister, Stephen Lecce, announced that the province is extending its program to last until January 25 and expanding the number of people eligible for free child care due to enforced remote learning.

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“We just wanna make sure that those that can't work from home... get the support they deserve.

STEPHEN LECCE, MINISTER OF EDUCATION

The expansion only applies to front-line workers in Southern Ontario, where schools are closed for in-person learning until January 25.

The list of eligible workers now includes 15 more positions, including power workers, food safety inspectors, those working at homeless shelters, interpreters for those who are deaf and deaf-blind, border agents, and provincial court services personnel.

The full list can be found on the government's website.

On Friday, the province announced that all schools in Southern Ontario will be closed until late January.

"While schools have been safe places for kids, the sharp rise in community transmission puts that progress and Ontario families at risk," Minister Lecce said when announcing the closures.

Parents in Ontario can also apply for the Support For Learners benefits as of January 11.