Schools in and around Toronto closed their doors suddenly last week as more contagious COVID-19 variants spread throughout the region. But amid a third wave threatening to overrun its hospitals, Ontario still can’t tell how much the virus is spreading in classrooms.

Students and recent graduates are unlikely to find a tuition cut or loan relief in Wednesday’s Ontario budget, while one-time classroom funding tied to the COVID-19 pandemic is in play for a government uncomfortable with big spending.