Toronto teachers are calling on the provincial government to keep schools closed for the first two weeks of January.
In an open letter, several union heads have asked the province and Toronto Public Health to move all Toronto schools to online learning starting January 4, for at least the first two weeks of the month.
The letter states this is to ensure schools do not contribute to the spread of the virus in the post-holiday period.
The Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers' Federation, Professional Student Services Personnel, Elementary Teachers of Toronto, and CUPE 4400 - Toronto Education Workers have co-signed the letter.
The unions, on behalf of the teachers, are also calling on the government to expand its current pilot project of school-based, voluntary COVID-19 testing for people who are asymptomatic.
Toronto is currently in the grey lockdown zone of Ontario's COVID framework.
Of the 1,890 cases of COVID confirmed in Ontario today, Toronto was responsible for 517 cases.
(with files from Newstalk 1010)