Ontario eyes boost to protections in school for kids with medical conditions

TORONTO — Ontario is proposing to strengthen protections for students with medical conditions like diabetes and epilepsy to ensure they are safe while at school.

Parent advocates have been urging changes to a policy that sets out responsibilities of school boards, principals and staff when it comes to children with anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy.

They say gaps in the current standard of care can leave their children in danger, such as when they are on a field trip or unable to monitor their blood sugar levels independently.

Proposed changes would specify that plans of care apply on school excursions, require standardized training for staff and include sudden unexpected death in epilepsy risk factors, as well as other new measures.

Amy McQuaid, whose son has uncontrolled epilepsy, says the proposed changes are an important step forward.

Alana Diening, whose son has Type 1 diabetes, says there are some good improvements in what is proposed, but she is hoping remaining gaps can be closed through the province’s consultations, such as a specific mention of administering a nasal spray in an emergency low-blood sugar situation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2026.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press