Ontario schools to move online next week after spring break

TORONTO — Ontario schools will move to online learning next week.

Premier Doug Ford announced the decision today, saying community spread of COVID-19 is too high to risk having students congregate after the spring break.

He says the government will decide based on COVID-19 data when in-person classes can resume.

Spring break began Monday after the province postponed it in March to discourage travel during the pandemic.

The government had previously maintained that schools would reopen next week but unions had called for schools to close in the absence of stronger safety measures.

Schools in Toronto, Peel and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph health units moved classes online last week in light of rising case COVID-19 counts.