City-run summer camps and recreation programs will be cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor John Tory says.
"Nothing is more important than the health of our children. In our current environment where it hasn't yet been safe to have the schools open, we can hardly be going full steam ahead with summer camps,” Tory said.
Some 68,000 kids had already signed up for city-run summer camps, which were set to be held from June 29 to September 7. The move also affects 1,500 part-time recreation workers.
Tory said refunds will be issued for all those who have already signed up for programs and those refunds will be distributed over the coming weeks.
The mayor said he has asked staff to look at the possibility of creating smaller summer recreation programs that could start as early as mid-July. However he said the alternative program, called CampTO, would only go forward if public health advice allows.
The city’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, said Toronto Public health is working with other city departments to try to create a program that would be safe.
“We know how important these camps are to the health of our children and their families and I know that they are a fun part of summer for many in our city,” de Villa said. “This is why my team is working with the city’s Parks Forestry and Recreation division to provide guidance on how they can provide a modified version of summer day camps this year that are safe for our youth if provincial restrictions are lifted and our local conditions allow.”
Provincial emergency orders still prohibit gatherings of more than five people. That restriction would likely need to be lifted before any sort of alternative recreation program could be offered.
Tory said the tentative CampTO program would have to take account of social distancing, as well as differences in spacing and staffing.
He said the program would at most have capacity for about half as many kids as usual. He said that it would still serve in the neighbourhood of some 40,000 children if it is able to proceed.
City officials said the cancellation of summer camps adds approximately $7 million in lost revenue to an already ballooning financial loss for the city, brought on by the pandemic.
However Tory said the real tragedy of the cancellation is the loss of the programs for kids and families who depend on them, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“I know this decision will upset many families and it will cause hardship for those who rely on these camps and programs the most,” Tory said. “But nothing is more important than the health of our children. We just cannot put them at risk.”
De villa said public health officials are keenly aware of the health benefits for kids and are trying to balance those benefits with the current circumstances.
“We are certainly engaging our provincial colleagues on this issue because of the many benefits associated with attendance at camp,” de Villa said. “We’re trying to still be mindful of our COVID-19 circumstances, trying to balance out all our benefits and risks – that’s a very active discussion.”
Tory said he couldn’t comment on what decision private camps will make, but as things stand, provincial orders would likely prohibit their operation as well.
Child care has emerged as a growing concern as more businesses begin to reopen.
Premier Doug Ford said Friday that the province will make an announcement about schools and child care on Tuesday.
The cancellation of summer camps also comes the same day that the city announced it was cancelling even more major events that normally dot the summer calendar.
