$50 million for improved ventilation, access to cash for reducing class sizes and standards for zoom style classes

Ontario’s education minister will allow school boards across the province to dip into their reserves to reduce class sizes.

Stephen Lecce is making the announcement today.

He says there is about a half billion dollars in reserves across the province which the government will allow the boards to use them to reduce the number of students in the classrooms.

Leece says the province will also increase capital funding by $50 million this year to improve airflow in the classrooms. The province spends about $1.4 billion a year now.

The minister has also announced standards for online learning. He says parents expect “Zoom style” classrooms. All students will get up to 225 minutes of the 300 minute day in class – that’s 75 per cent of regular class time. The rest of the time will be used for one-on-one help.