Young students are seen in a school classroom in Montreal, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi)
WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government will provide $500,000 in new funding to boost school safety provincewide and require all school divisions to update their controlled-access and emergency-preparedness plans.
Under the new measures, school divisions must review visitor access controls, door-locking protocols, entrance monitoring, communication procedures and physical security. Updated plans are to be submitted to the government by December 25. The funding will support safety assessments, in-person and online staff training, and a provincewide school-safety forum in partnership with Manitoba School Boards Association (MSBA).
The announcement comes in the wake of an incident last week at a St. Vital elementary school, where a man entered the building, hid in a washroom stall and grabbed a child before police intervened. The 28-year-old suspect, charged with assault and forcible confinement, remains in custody.
“Families deserve certainty every single day. That’s why we are acting quickly and working closely with school divisions to re-inforce controlled access measures, so every child in Manitoba is supported and protected,” said Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt, in a release.
Watch Monday’s news conference:
