Pre-election personnel shakeups

Horwath's hunt for a new assistant, a fresh biz registry head, mini-shuffle at Treasury Board and Mental Health, a new Grit, and more

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There’s big staff moves happening on both sides of the aisle with less than five months to go until Election Day (as scheduled) — but first, Ontario is accelerating boosters for daycare and school staff and expanding the use of rapid tests amid backlash over this week’s pandemic policy back-and-forth.

ON SCHOOLS — Education and child-care staff in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area will have “planned access” to vaccines at the International Centre in Mississauga starting Friday. Education Minister STEPHEN LECCE dropped the official word in a news release but wasn’t around to take media questions — Lecce has stayed mum on the pivot to close schools until January 17, which was announced three days after the plan to delay the start of in-person learning by two days.

Child-care staff are also getting non-fit-tested N95 masks and there will be stricter screening protocols. The moves come as calls mount from Oppo critics, parents, teachers and daycare workers to better pr…