News release: April 5, 2021
Peel Public Health issues Section 22 Order to close all Peel schools
Brampton, ON. (April 5, 2021) – Peel Public Health has issued a Section 22 order, under the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act, to close all schools in Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga for 2 weeks effective April 6, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. and move to remote learning only.
In accordance with the order, all schools in Peel will be moving to remote learning starting Tuesday, April 6 and the closure will remain in place through the end of day Sunday, April 18. Further decisions to extend the order will be made, as required.
Late last week and through the weekend, Peel saw significant increases in case counts and the spread of variants in the community. This closure will allow students and staff at least two weeks out of schools to break any chains of transmission and protect them from exposure. Closures include:
- All Peel-based schools in the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, Peel District School Board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, Conseil scholaire catholique MonAvenir and all private schools, including all elementary staff and students, secondary staff and students and Special Education staff and students
- All April Break spring camps for school-age children will be cancelled
Licensed child care programs will remain open for children under 6 years of age who are not attending school. If your child attends a school in Peel region, they are not allowed to attend child care centres or day camps, including those offered by child care providers, during this closure.
Peel Public Health continues to work closely with our school board partners to prioritize the health and safety of staff and students. Schools in Peel already have strong measures in place to prevent transmission in their settings. This opportunity will keep the rising spread of variants across Peel from entering school settings from the community. Further decisions on extending the section order will be based on the disease picture in Peel.
This closure is a necessary step to protect staff and students in Peel Region. With increasing case counts and the presence of variants of concern, we need to break chains of transmission and keep our schools safe. I know this will be challenging for parents to navigate and we appreciate all the sacrifices parents continue to make as we continue to fight COVID-19 in our community.
Dr. Lawrence Loh, Medical Officer of Health, Peel Region.
Media contacts
Ashleigh Hawkins
Communication Specialist
Region of Peel
About Peel Region
Peel Region works with residents and partners to create a healthy, safe and connected Community for Life for approximately 1.5 million people and over 175,000 businesses in the cities of Brampton and Mississauga and the Town of Caledon. Peel's services touch the lives of residents every day. For more information about the Region of Peel, explore peelregion.ca and follow us on Twitter @regionofpeel and Instagram @peelregion.ca.
