The provincial government will provide emergency child care for more workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those who work in grocery stores, retirement homes and pharmacies.

“While our front-line workers are looking after us, we need to make sure we’re looking after them and their families,” Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday at Queen’s Park, alongside Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Health Minister Christine Elliott.

“Providing emergency child care for our essential workers gives parents one less thing to worry about when they’re on the job saving lives, protecting us, or keeping shelves stocked with food and necessities.”

The free child-care program began a little over a month ago, and about 150 child-care centres and agencies have reopened. Some 37 additional centres are set to soon reopen to help fill increased demand.

“We are providing emergency child care to more front-line workers because, in these unprecedented times, we will do whatever it takes to keep families safe and supported,” said Lecce. “They are making tremendous sacrifices every day and we will be there for them every step of the way.”

The workers now to be covered also include those employed in meat packing and other food supply businesses, members of the armed forces, truck drivers, cooks and cleaning staff in health-care facilities and nursing homes, and on-site staff in Ontario’s courts.

Ford said all child-care workers will be tested for COVID-19.

All child-care centres were ordered closed in March, part of a wider shutdown to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The emergency care is provided 24 hours a day in certain centres across the province for children under 12. The initial group of essential workers eligible included those working in health care, police officers and firefighters.

“Every day, in virtually every way, workers on the front lines are making a difference in this province. They ensure our shelves are stocked and our families are fed. They care for our seniors and provide life-saving medicine to those that need it,” Lecce said Wednesday.

“These are Canada’s heroes in many ways and they deserve our full support.”

He said centres are thoroughly cleaned before opening every day, and all staff and children are screened before they can enter.

Lecce did not say when all child-care centres could reopen.

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