KITCHENER -- Elementary and secondary students in Waterloo Region and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph will return to in-person learning on Monday.

The province made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon.

In a news release, the Ministry of Education said the decision to return to school was made unanimously by the Council of Medical Officers of Health.

Waterloo Region's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said the province was responsible for the final reopening decision, but local officials were asked for their input.

"I anticipated that the decision that will reflect the advice that has been given for Waterloo Region and I see that it has," she said at a Board of Health meeting on Wednesday afternoon. "Our schools will return to in-class learning as of Feb. 8."

Dr. Wang also noted that the region's COVID-19 case numbers continue to move in the right direction.

"WDG Public Health strongly supports the safe return to in-person learning for local students," WDG Public Health Medical Officer of Health Dr. Nicola Mercer said in a statement. "The many benefits to children from being able to gather with caring teachers, staff, and their peers make it vital students have the chance to go back to class with COVID-19 risks as low as possible."

After-school child care programs can also resume on Monday.

Students in Toronto, Peel and York Region will continue distance learning until Feb. 16.

"While this has not been easy on Ontario parents, students and our education staff, I want to be clear safety is what has and will drive our decisions every step of the way," Minister of Education Stephen Lecce said at a press conference Wednesday. "We were the first to close schools in the country last March and today we are the only province that decided to cautiously and gradually reopen our schools."

Students in Waterloo Region and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph have been learning virtually since the winter break.

Lecce said there will be enhanced measures when students go back to school, including asymptomatic testing, screening and stricter masking protocol, including having students wear masks outdoors when physical distancing isn't possible.

The Waterloo Region District School Board said it's working with public health on offering targeted COVID-19 testing. All students going into a school will need to verify they've completed a daily self-screening process.

The WRDSB also said students of all ages will be expected to wear masks indoors and outdoors.

Students who recently requested a change of learning mode will move to their new mode in March.

Students moving to in-person learning will do so on March 4, and students will move to online learning on March 8.

"At WCDSB we have always prioritized the health and safety of our staff and students as priority one," said Loretta Notten, director of education at the Waterloo Catholic District School Board in a statement. "This past time of remote learning was embraced because we knew that it would ensure that when we did return to the classroom, we would be doing so in a way that was as safe as possible."

Notten said the board recognizes teaching and learning remotely can be challenging.

"For these reasons we are very pleased to receive the news today that we are returning to the in person classroom," she said. "We will be redoubling our efforts to ensure all protocols are followed and we look forward to seeing our students thriving once again in their classroom environments."

Local teachers' unions said they're concerned because there's no clarity on how the new measures will be implemented.

"I can tell you I was in a meeting with the board today and I asked exactly what that meant and I am really not satisfied with the answers to those questions," said Patrick Etmanski with the Waterloo branch of the Ontario Elementary Catholic Teachers' Association.

"They keep talking about testing," said Rob Gascho with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation's Waterloo branch. "We don't know how this testing is going to happen, who is going to do it."

These regions will return to in-person learning:

  • Brant County Health Unit
  • Chatham-Kent Public Health
  • Durham Region Health Department
  • Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
  • Halton Region Public Health
  • City of Hamilton Public Health Services
  • Huron Perth Public Health
  • Lambton Public Health
  • Niagara Region Public Health
  • Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit
  • Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
  • Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
  • Windsor-Essex County Health Unit