Ontario's $20 Million Bollard Fund: What the Liam Riazati Memorial Fund Means for Daycare Safety

In December 2025, the Ontario government announced one of the largest single investments in physical vehicle barrier protection in Canadian history. The Liam Riazati Memorial Fund commits $20 million to install concrete barriers at community-based childcare centres across the province.

The fund is named after 18-month-old Liam Riazati, who was killed in September 2025 when an SUV crashed through the wall of a Richmond Hill daycare. Six other children were injured. The daycare was in a commercial plaza — a common setup across Canada — with no bollards or barriers between the parking lot and the building.

The fatal accident at a child care centre in Richmond Hill was a heartbreaking tragedy for the entire community. In Liam's honour, we are taking steps to support child care operators and families with measures that offer greater peace of mind and added protection for children.— Paul Calandra, Ontario Minister of Education

What the Fund Covers

The Liam Riazati Memorial Fund is specifically designed to help community-based licensed childcare centres install concrete barriers at no cost. Here's what we know from the official Ontario government announcement:

The fund is positioned as a short-term safety measure while the province examines longer-term regulatory changes, including updated design guidelines and regulations for licensed childcare programs.

Why $20 Million Matters

To put this in context, installing standard concrete bollards at a typical commercial frontage costs between $4,000 and $12,000. At that rate, $20 million could protect roughly 1,600 to 5,000 childcare facilities — a significant portion of Ontario's licensed childcare network.

This is the first time a Canadian province has created a dedicated funding stream specifically for vehicle barrier installation at a particular building type. It sets a precedent that could influence similar programs across the country.

Who Is Eligible

The fund targets community-based child care programs — not school-based daycares. These are centres operating in spaces that were not originally designed for childcare, which often puts them in higher-risk locations:

School-based childcare programs are handled separately, as the province has directed school boards to conduct their own safety assessments.

The Bigger Picture: This Isn't Just About Daycares

The $20 million fund addresses one building type in one province. But the underlying safety hazard — occupied ground-floor spaces adjacent to parking lots with no vehicle barriers — exists across every city in Canada. The same risk profile applies to:

The Storefront Safety Council estimates that a vehicle crashes into a commercial building in North America approximately every 18 minutes. Most of these are low-speed accidents — exactly the type that standard bollards are designed to prevent.

What Ontario Is Doing Beyond the Fund

The $20 million is just the beginning. The province has also announced:

1. 1Immediate parking restrictions — all licensed childcare centres were directed to close parking spaces near child care areas (except accessible spaces) as a short-term precaution
2. 2Regulatory review — the province will consult with the sector and technical experts on updated design guidelines and regulations for childcare facilities
3. 3Future legislation — the government has signaled plans for legislation to help centres install protective measures even if restricted by landlords or local zoning

This multi-layered approach acknowledges that physical barriers are just one component of a comprehensive safety strategy. But they're the most important component — because they're the only thing that physically stops a vehicle.

What This Means for Alberta Property Owners

While this fund is Ontario-specific, the safety lesson is universal. Alberta has no equivalent provincial funding program for vehicle barriers at commercial properties. That means the responsibility falls on property owners, building managers, and tenants.

The good news: bollard installation is straightforward and cost-effective.

For Alberta property owners, the message is clear: you don't need to wait for government funding. Professional bollard installation is available now, and the cost is a fraction of the risk you're carrying without it.

The Cost of Inaction

The Ontario government created this fund because a child died. The $20 million expenditure — while significant — is a direct result of failing to require vehicle barriers before the tragedy occurred.

Consider the full cost of the Richmond Hill incident:

All of this could have been prevented by six to eight steel bollards costing less than $8,000 to install.