Emergency Exercise Exemption, Child Care, and Great Lakes Investments

Emergency Planning Exercise Exemption for 2020

The Solicitor General announced an exemption for municipalities from the requirement to conduct a mock emergency exercise in 2020. The requirement for municipalities and provincial ministries to conduct exercises every year to test and practice their emergency plans is in O. Reg 380/04 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, (EMCPA).

Child Care and Early Learning Agreement
The provincial and federal governments announced an additional investment through the one-year Canada-Ontario Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (ELCC) of nearly $147 million to Ontario for 2020-21. This funding will help licensed child care providers and EarlyON child and family centres. This year the funding will be used to mitigate against the impacts of COVID-19. It will also support increased access for families and professional learning for staff. The agreement provides funding in addition to the $234.6 million through the Safe Restart Agreement previously announced in August.

Ontario Invests in Great Lakes Health

The Ontario government is investing $7.47 million to improve the health of the Great Lakes. The funding will support projects that address environmental challenges such as increased levels of pollutants, excess nutrients, and rising levels of invasive species. Protecting the Great Lakes is a key commitment in the Province's Made in Ontario Environment Plan to ensure water resources and ecosystems are safeguarded for future generations. Applications for the Great Lakes Local Action Fund will open in September 2020 through Transfer Payment Ontario.

AMO’s COVID-19 Resources page is being updated continually so you can find critical information in one place. Please send any of your municipally related pandemic questions to covid19@amo.on.ca.