Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province’s schools won’t reopen on April 6 as officials continue to respond to the coronavirus outbreak.
“Really we have to see where we’re going with this virus. Our number one priority is to protect our children,” Ford said during an update at Queen’s Park Monday afternoon.
“Do I believe and does the minister believe April 6th kids are going back to school? The kids won’t be going back to school on April the 6th.”
READ MORE: All publicly funded schools in Ontario closing for 2 weeks due to COVID-19
Ford said there will be an announcement on schooling in the future, adding the situation is changing “hour by hour, day by day.”
On March 12, the Ontario government ordered all publicly funded schools to shut down for three weeks. On Tuesday, Ford declared a statement of emergency and all privately funded schools and daycares were ordered to close.
READ MORE: All non-essential workplaces ordered to close in Ontario
Last week the province unveiled an online learning platform for students.
Ford said all non-essential workplaces across Ontario will be ordered shut down beginning on Wednesday.
As of Monday morning, the Ontario government said there were 489 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. Six Ontario residents have died and eight cases have been resolved.