Toronto-area school boards say they have no plans to close schools on Monday due to the current heat and humidity gripping the city.
The Toronto District School Board says while some schools are fully air conditioned, others have no air conditioning, and those students should brace for “uncomfortable conditions.”
The TDSB says of its 579 schools, about 30 per cent have central air. The rest either have access to cooling centres like libraries and gyms or smaller air conditioning units.
“Please encourage children to wear light clothing, hats, and sunscreen and drink lots of water throughout the school day to stay well hydrated,” the TDSB said in an update to parents and caregivers on Sunday.
The TDSB says school staff will do everything possible to help alleviate some of the discomfort experienced by students such as using fans, keeping lights and computers turned off where possible and limiting strenuous activity such as gym and sports and recess.
The TDSB says closing schools is not possible as it would put parents and caregivers into a position of having to find childcare with very short notice “which is not always possible.”
The Toronto Catholic District School Board, which says more than 80 per cent of its 196 schools have access to air-conditioned spaces, provided similar guidance for its heat-related protocols on Friday.
Parents who spoke to CityNews on Friday indicated they would consider keeping their child at home due to the extreme heat. Others said while they appreciate the measures that are being taken, it’s only a patchwork solution.
“I’ve been retired, and it’s always been an issue the last week of school and the first week of school are boiling hot,” said one parent, who pointed at a lack of funding for the problem. “No money. It’s always money.”
Erica Natividad contributed to this report
