Parents criticize Ontario government regarding short-sighted Catch-Up payments

BY PAUL JUNOR

There has been a promotion by the Ontario government regarding the Catch-Up payments that it is being made available to Ontario parents with school-aged children.

The announcement was made on Thursday, October 20^th, 2022, and specific information can also be seen on the Ontario government’s website. These payments of either: $200 or $250 is intended to go toward the costs of tutoring, supplies or equipment that children need during the 2022-23 school year.

Ontario Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce states, “It could not be clearer that we must keep students in class without disruption, with a focus on catching up on the fundamentals: reading, writing and math after two years of pandemic-related learning disruptions. We are expanding tutoring support, assessing every child’s ability to read, and hiring more staff to ensure all kids get back on track and ultimately graduate into good-paying jobs.”

The Ontario government is making $365 million available to parents, which may involve:

• $200 for each student between kindergarten and Grade 12, up to age 18
• $250 for each student with special education needs between kindergarten and Grade 12, up to age 21

Criteria that must be met in order to ensure eligibility include:

• You are a parent or guardian to a student from kindergarten to Grade 12
• A Secondary school student who is 19 years of age
• You are a parent or guardian to a student from kindergarten up to age 21 with special education needs

A student with special education needs is defined as any student receiving special education programs or services by their school board, or any student with a special education need. Furthermore, it does not matter whether students attend a: publicly funded school, private school, First Nation operated or federally operated school, are home-schooled, or attend in-person and remote learning, they are still able to get the Catch-Up Payment.

Parents must apply through the Ontario.ca website in order to get the payments. They should create an online “My Ontario Account,” or an account via Verified.Me (Interac/ online banking). Once an online profile is created, parents will receive an email to “Activate Account.” After you create and activate your account and if you’re session times out, you will receive a one-time 6-digit pin verification code via email. Parents will receive the funds within a two to three weeks time period.

Minister Lecce responded to a question regarding how it will ensure that money is spent as intended for tutoring. He states, “I know they will do the right thing because we’ve done this multiple times before, and I know that putting those dollars to good use for: before and after school programs, for learning, for literacy development, for technology-this all helps. I think we should be on the side of working people in this province who want more relief at a time of economic difficulty.”

Ontario Greens leader and MPP for Guelph, Mike Schreiner released a statement. It reads, “The nominal pay-out to parents will do nothing to help Ontario students learn in a stable, safe classroom environment. They are merely a distraction from this government’s sorry record of funding cuts and failing contract negotiations with education workers.”

Parents in London, Ontario mentioned the money is being misdirected. Dianna Chepita states, “Classes have up to 30 or more students in them. This is about six thousand dollars taken from each classroom. That pooled together would make more of an impact on the students and the children of Ontario fo:r field trips, new technology, resources, and staff, etc.”

Parents or guardians have until March 31, 2023, to apply for the Catch Up Payments.