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Pilot Program to Support Students with Autism in Schools

On October 25, 2017, Education Minister Mitzie Hunter announced a new pilot program for children with autism. The program will provide dedicated space in schools for ABA practitioners, give education assistants access to targeted autism training and fund the hiring of an ABA expertise professional with Board Certified Behaviour Analyst certification. The pilot will launch in 18 school boards in the 2018-19 school year.

News Release

New Policy re: Prevalent Medical Conditions

On October 24, 2017, the Ministry of Education announced a new PPM 161 — Supporting Children and Students with Prevalent Medical Conditions (Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Diabetes, and/or Epilepsy) in Schools. By next school year, all school boards across Ontario will be required to have policies in place to improve the safety of students with anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy. School boards must already comply with the requirement to have policies to support students who have asthma or who are at risk for anaphylaxis as a result of Ryan’s Law, 2005 and Sabrina’s Law, 2015.

News Release

PPM 161 – Supporting Children and Students with Prevalent Medical Conditions (Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Diabetes, and/or Epilepsy) in Schools

EarlyON Child and Family Centres

On October 24, 2017, Education Minister Mitzie Hunter and Minister Responsible for Early Years and Child Care Indira Naidoo-Harris announced the province is rebranding how it provides child and family programs. The province will build 100 new EarlyON Child and Family Centres that will act as hubs for childcare resources, parental support and play programs for children. The new facilities will be completed over the next three years and will cost $140 million annually to run. Starting in January 2018, Ontario Early Years Centres, Parenting and Family Literacy Centres, Child Care Resource Centres and Better Beginnings, Better Futures centres will collectively be known as EarlyON Child and Family Centres.

News Release

Census 2016 Data

On October 25, 2017, Statistics Canada released more data from the 2016 Census of Population. Information released included data on First Nations people, Métis and Inuit Population, immigration and ethno-cultural diversity in Canada and Housing.