Ontario is considering tougher cellphone restrictions in schools and plans to work with Ottawa on possible social media age limits for children.
Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra says the province is considering tougher limits on cellphone use in schools, including a near-total ban on school property, while also working with the federal government on possible social media age restrictions for children.
Speaking Tuesday at a news conference in southwest Ontario, Calandra said education ministers across the country largely agree that access to phones and social media in schools has not helped students. He said any Ontario cellphone restrictions could include medical exemptions.
“I think the evidence is becoming more and more clear that cellphone use in our schools, elementary and our secondary schools, anywhere on site, has become a problem,” Calandra said.
The comments point to a possible escalation in school technology rules, though Ontario has not announced a final policy, an age threshold for social media access or a timeline for any changes. Calandra said the province wants to work closely with Ottawa on a social media ban for children under a certain age, an area where federal legislation could play a central role.
The discussion comes as other governments are weighing similar restrictions. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew’s government recently said it plans to ban children from using social media accounts and artificial intelligence chatbots, beginning in classrooms. Calandra said he wants Ontario’s rules to go further than what Manitoba has announced.
British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma also said Tuesday that the federal government is best placed to enact a social media ban, but that B.C. could act on its own or join other provinces if Ottawa does not move quickly. Sharma cited concerns about anxiety, eating disorders and online platforms’ ability to regulate themselves.
Federal Culture Minister Marc Miller has said the government is seriously considering similar age-limit legislation. The issue has gained momentum internationally as well: Australia created a law in December enforcing age limits on social media accounts and fines for non-compliant companies, with several countries in Europe and Asia later pursuing similar measures.
For Ontario families and schools, the immediate question is how far the province may go on devices in classrooms and across school property. Calandra’s remarks signal that broader restrictions are under review, but the details — including enforcement, exemptions and any rollout date — remain unsettled.
Comments (0)