The Ford government says it is making $20 million available for child care centres to install concrete bollards and other barriers to avoid a repeat of a tragedy earlier this year, when a man drove through the window, killing a toddler.
Education Minister Paul Calandra unveiled the money on Monday morning, naming it the Liam Riazati Memorial Fund, in honour of the child who died in September.
“The fatal accident at a child care centre in Richmond Hill was a heartbreaking tragedy for the entire community,” Calandra said.
“In Liam’s honour, we are taking steps to support child care operators and families with measures that offer greater peace of mind and added protection for children.”
Beginning early next year, child care operators will be able to apply to arrange for the delivery and installation of barriers from the province, with funding through the pot of money.
Calandra said it would apply to child care centres which have not already put measures in place and would not be used to rebate those that have already acted.
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He also teased legislation next year to aid centres that want to put protective measures in place but aren’t allowed to as a result of restrictions from either their landlord or local government
The policy comes after the tragic death of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy inside a Richmond Hill child care centre in early September.
Around 3 p.m. on Sept. 10, police said a vehicle, which had previously been parked outside the building, drove through the front window, striking several children and staff. One child died and another sustained serious injuries.
In total, seven children between the ages of one-and-a-half and three were hit by the vehicle. Three staff members were also injured.
Officers charged a 70-year-old man with dangerous operation causing death and two counts of dangerous operation causing bodily harm. They said at the time that “information right now has led us to determine this was not a deliberate act.”
A Hyundai electric vehicle was pulled through the shattered window of the daycare and loaded onto a tow truck on the evening of the crash. It showed little visible damage aside from a dangling licence plate and broken glass on its hood.
Calandra said the incident demonstrated a potential risk and vulnerability for other child care centres.
“It’s always going to be a risk; we saw that that happened, there have been other isolated incidents in other parts of the province,” he said.
“As that incident highlighted for us, some additional precautions would potentially make a difference across the province of Ontario.”
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