TORONTO -- Ontario families with young children will soon be getting another COVID-19 cheque from the provincial government, designed to help offset the costs of the pandemic.
The Ford government says parents of children aged 12 and younger will be able to receive a one-time payment of $200 per child, and $250 for a child 21 or younger with special needs.
This is the second payment being sent to families during the pandemic, money which the government said would provide "a measure of relief" for those affected by outbreaks in schools, and those who chose to learn from home.
The payments were outlined in the Ontario government's budget tabled on Thursday afternoon my Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips.
"We have heard from parents that new expenses to support their kid's education in this COVID-19 era are straining their pocketbooks," Phillips said in the legislature.
The government will spend $380 million on the second round of payments, on top of the $378 million for the first batch of payments, which Phillips said was "money well spent."
The cheques are expected to be issued by Christmas.
