Ryan’s Law receives third reading

Legislation named for the late Ryan Gibbons that aims to help asthmatic children in Ontario’s public schools received third reading in the Ontario Legislature on Thursday morning, April 29.

Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Jeff Yurek, who introduced the Private Member’s Bill in the fall of 2013, said the passing of his Private Member’s Bill was an exciting event for himself and Ryan’s mother, Sandra Gibbons of the Richmond area.

Mr. Yurek expected Ryan’s Law to receive Royal Assent and become law later this spring.

Ryan Gibbons died at age 12 in October 2012 after an asthma attack at Straffordville Public School.

With the passing of Ryan’s Law, the Ministry of the Education was expected to instruct school boards across the province to enact policies that would allow all pupils and students who have asthma to carry their relief inhalers on them while at school.

The policies would include comprehensive strategies to help mitigate exposure to asthma triggers, regular training and education for school staff and a communication plan for the dissemination of information on asthma to parents, pupils and employees.