Catherine Fife MPP, Waterloo

WATERLOO – In question period Tuesday, MPP Catherine Fife (Waterloo) called on Ford guarantee air quality improvements in Waterloo Region schools and child care centres. This comes after months of advocacy from MPP Fife and MPP Laura Mae Lindo (Kitchener Centre) to improve classroom safety and ventilation. MPP Fife released the following statement:
 
“Students deserve to learn in safe classrooms. They deserve air quality improvements to make sure COVID-19 doesn’t spread in schools and child care settings, which can make entire families sick and cause closures.
 
For months, Ford wanted us to believe that schools and child care centres already had all the filters and HVAC upgrades they needed. Yet only one in five Waterloo Region District School Board classrooms have HEPA filter units. Ford has left the board to fend for itself, forcing it to fundraise to buy more HEPA units.
 
School boards should not have to raise funds from the community – from parents, families and teachers – in order to make sure students are safe in the classroom. Waterloo schools and child care centres need HEPA filters now. Ford must stop dragging his feet and immediately provide HEPA units to the many Ontario schools and child care centres that still need them.”