Toronto Public Health recommends closure of 20 schools due to COVID-19

Toronto Public Health (TPH) said Monday that it has recommended the temporary closure of 20 schools in the city due to COVID-19 investigations.

Eleven of the schools are part of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), seven are a part of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), one is a French school and another is listed as being independent.

The TDSB schools are:

• Charles E Webster Public School
• D A Morrison Middle School
• Danforth Tech Collegiate Institute
• Donwood Park Public School
• East York Collegiate Institute
• Ellesmere-Statton Public School
• Etienne Brule Junior School
• Grenoble Public School
• Lullian Public School
• Riverdale Collegiate Institute
• Valley Park Middle School

The TDSB said all students at those locations will move to remote learning as COVID-19 cases are investigated.

Meanwhile, the affected TCDSB schools are:

• St. Gregory Catholic School
• James Culnan Catholic School
• Blessed Trinity Catholic School
• St. Brigid Catholic School
• St. Patrick Catholic School
• Neil McNeil High School
• All Saints Catholic School

The school board said the facilities will move to online learning as well.

The TCDSB also noted that St. Charles Garnier and St. Roch Catholic schools, which had previously been closed due to COVID-19 investigations, will reopen for in-person learning Tuesday.

TPH said it also recommended the closure of George Etienne Cartier school and Abu Bakr.

“We will keep the school communities informed as soon as the reopening dates are confirmed,” TPH said.

Read more: Peel Region medical officer of health ordering schools to close for 2 weeks due to COVID-19

The announcement of the closures Monday came just hours after Peel Region's medical officer of health Dr. Lawrence Loh ordered schools in that municipality be closed for two weeks due to a jump in COVID-19 cases in the community.

“This closure will allow students and staff at least two weeks out of schools to break any chains of transmission and protect them from exposure,” a statement from the Region of Peel read in part.

As of Monday afternoon, Toronto medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa opted against issuing a similar order.

“[Toronto Public Health] will continue to manage risk on a school-by-school basis, taking immediate and appropriate action to address these complex outbreaks,” a statement from TPH said.

— With files from Nick Westoll

2/3:
TDSB
-D.A. Morrison
-Ellesmere Statton
-Lillian PS
-Donwood Park
-Danforth Tech CI
-East York CI
-Charles E Webster
-Etienne Brule
-Grenoble
-Riverdale
-Valley Park

French
-George Etienne Cartier

Independent
-Abu Bakr

— Toronto Public Health (@TOPublicHealth) April 5, 2021