Ontario Turns Down Toronto District School Board’s Request to Retain Masking

A crossing guard leaves Thorncliffe Park Public School in Toronto on Nov. 30, 2020. The Canadian Press/Frank Gunn

The Ontario government has turned down a request from the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to maintain the masking rule in classrooms when students return to school from March break next week. 

On March 11, TDSB chair Alexander Brown wrote to Ontario chief medical officer Dr. Kieran Moore to ask for more time to adjust health measures in schools, after he announced that Ontario will lift the mask mandate in most public settings including schools on March 21.