The Ontario government is set to introduce a new sex education curriculum on Wednesday morning, CTV News Toronto has learned.
The announcement comes after Ford government received backlash for repealing the 2015 sex-ed curriculum last year.
Minister of Education Stephen Lecce is expected to release a plan focused on online safety.
"We want to make sure that as young people turn online for academics, for socializing, and entertainment they've got the self-confidence and the tools to stay safe," said Lecce in a video posted on Twitter on Tuesday.
He will be joined by Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, who said that cyber safety is important for younger kids in education.
"They need to know what the risks are out there," said Schmidt, who appeared in the video with Lecce.
"They're more and more connected online with their devices and we want them to be able to have the information, the knowledge to make better decisions so they don't put themselves in a position that is compromising."
The province said they replaced the 2015 curriculum with a version last updated in 1998 while parents and educators were consulted.
The move to repeal the curriculum was challenged in court by several organizations including the Elementary Teachers' Federation. A transgender girl also filed a human rights challenge arguing the repeal was discriminatory.
Both cases were dismissed.
The repeal also caused walk-outs and protests in the province. In March, then-Education Minister Lisa Thompson said that parents would be able to opt their children out of the new sex-ed curriculum, choosing instead to use online modules “whenever their child is ready.”
The new curriculum will be available online at 6 a.m.
