Ontario is expanding emergency child care to more people, including parents who work in retirement homes, grocery stores and pharmacies.
The province ordered child care centres closed in March, under one of several COVID-19 emergency orders, but reopened some to accommodate children of front-line health-care and emergency services personnel.
Today's announcement marks the second expansion of emergency child care, and will mean another 37 centres open in addition to the nearly 100 others in operation.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce wouldn't commit to a timeline to reopen all child care centres, which are currently closed until at least May 6 under the emergency order that can only be extended for two weeks at a time.
He says child care is often necessary for parents to participate in the labour market, so the government will take that into consideration as it plans its phased approach to restarting the economy.
One of the emergency child care centres in Toronto has closed for two weeks after three staff members tested positive for COVID-19.
The additional frontline workers who can now access emergency childcare services include: