OTTAWA -- The federal government is sending 鈥渦p to鈥� an additional $2 billion in to provinces and territories for them to cover the extra costs of ensuring that students will be safe when the fall school year begins, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Wednesday.

With schools preparing to welcome back students and return to in-class learning for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March, parents across the country have been concerned about the level of infection control precautions school boards will have in place. 

"While every year is different, this September will be unlike any you鈥檝e had to deal with before. Parents and staff are anxious about what the school year will hold. As a dad, and a former teacher, I get that,鈥� Trudeau said.

The prime minister made the announcement at a school in Toronto. The new funding is on top of the $19 billion 鈥渟afe restart鈥� plan, which is focused on helping provinces and territories reopen their societies safely.

The money is being sent through a new 鈥淪afe Return to Class Fund鈥� in two instalments: a first portion this fall, and the second in 鈥渆arly 2021.鈥� It will be distributed based on the number of students between ages of four and 18 in each region, and the decision to split the funding up is to 鈥渆nsure that provinces and territories have support for the whole school year,鈥� according to the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office. 

On Wednesday, the prime minister made the announcement at a school in Toronto, alongside Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen, Deputy House Leader Kirsty Duncan, and Liberal MP Judy Sgro. The new funding is on top of the $19 billion 鈥渟afe restart鈥� plan, which is focused on helping provinces and territories reopen their societies safely.

Trudeau told the premiers about the incoming funding on Tuesday, as it will be up to them to determine how best to spend it, with some facing questions about the adequacy of school ventilation systems and ensuring there is enough hand sanitizer and staff on hand to keep classrooms clean.

Given education is largely a matter of provincial jurisdiction, Trudeau emphasized that the provinces will make decisions about school and student safety when classes resume. He defended the federal government鈥檚 involvement, denying wanting to appear as if the Trudeau Liberals were coming in at the eleventh hour to push provinces to do more.

鈥淥ver the past week or so, I've heard from so many Liberal MPs, so many parents across the country who are still extremely worried about how that reopening is going to go,鈥� Trudeau said. 鈥淣ow, we've seen the provinces put forward plans for that reopening. And you know, they are confident that they're doing what is necessary, but parents are still concerned. So we said, 鈥楲et's give the provinces even more resources to be able to do everything that is necessary to keep our kids safe.鈥欌��

The prime minister said that $112 million is also being sent to help schools in First Nations communities.

With just weeks left before students return to school, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called on the federal government to provide this funding as soon as possible, so that the required safety enhancements can be put in place in time for the first day back.

鈥淭here is a real need to see dollars that are tied to schools being safer, and specifically what the healthcare experts and what the school experts are saying: classroom sizes. We need smaller custom sizes, and so the dollars for provinces should be connected to this requirement that actually go towards making schools safer,鈥� Singh said. 

People for Education Executive Director Annie Kidder said the funding is a first step, but it鈥檚 possible that more will need to be spent once the school year gets underway and outstanding gaps are identified.

鈥淲hat's really important is that it's a message that this is understood as a national problem, that the federal government has to be involved in this,鈥� Kidder said in an interview on CTV News Channel. 鈥淲e're going to have to be flexible, kind of collaborate, be imaginative on what needs to happen, certainly for kids for example, who are learning online. We can't just rely on their families to support them. It's not sustainable, it's not equitable.鈥� 

Among the concerns that parents have expressed to CTV News are the lack of smaller class sizes, making physical distancing a challenge in some places, and how schools plan to handle confirmed cases of COVID-19. 

Many parents are having to weigh these worries against the challenge of keeping their children home and continuing distance learning while balancing their own work and personal responsibilities. 

鈥淥ur children must be safe in the classroom. That鈥檚 non-negotiable. No parent should be losing sleep because they have to go back to work, but aren鈥檛 confident schools are properly prepared,鈥� said Trudeau. 鈥淥nce people know their kids are safe, they can get back to work with less worries.鈥�

Last week, Trudeau was asked if he would be sending his children back to school in September, and he said he hadn鈥檛 yet decided. Trudeau鈥檚 three children attend public school in Ontario. 

鈥淟ike so many parents, that鈥檚 something that we are in very active discussions on,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are looking at what the school鈥檚 plans are. We鈥檙e looking at class sizes. We鈥檙e looking at how the kids are feeling about wearing masks.鈥�

Ottawa mom Rosalie Awad MacInnis and her husband have made the decision to send their two children back to school in September.

She said the move has brought a mix of excitement and anxiety, knowing that their two kids鈥攇oing intro grades three and five鈥攚ill be getting back a more structured routine and get to see their friends, but knowing things will be different. 

鈥淲e're taking a bit of that risk, we feel like the school boards are doing as much as they can. We know it's not going to be perfect, but we're going to give it a try, prepare them as much as possible and you know if things change dramatically, if cases go up and we feel uncomfortable about it, or if they're really not doing well in the environment, we'll be ready to bring them back and try the virtual school,鈥� she said.

The maximum funding each province and territory will receive is:

  • Ontario: $763.34 million
  • Quebec: $432.15 million
  • Alberta: $262.84 million
  • British Columbia: $242.36 million
  • Manitoba: $85.41 million
  • Saskatchewan: $74.90 million
  • Nova Scotia: $47.88 million
  • New Brunswick: $39.79 million
  • Newfoundland and Labrador: $26.18 million
  • Prince Edward Island: $10.39 million
  • Nunavut: $5.75 million
  • Northwest Territories: $4.85 million
  • Yukon: $4.16 million 

With files from CTV News鈥� Alexandra Mae Jones and Brooklyn Neustaeter