As summer starts, daycare operators making plans for September strike

CTV Kitchener: Planning for a strike While students enjoyed the first day of summer, others are busy planning for a potential teacher strike. Marc Venema has the story.

As the school year ends and summer begins, parents are already looking ahead to what may or may not come after the two-month break.

Unions representing Ontario’s Catholic, public elementary and public secondary teachers remain in contract negotiations.

All have either taken some form of strike action or indicated that it could be possible come September.

If the start of the school year is delayed, some parents will doubtlessly be seeking alternate arrangements for their children – which has daycare operators already making plans.

“We intend to have over 1,000 spaces available for children and their families come September, if there is a strike,” said John Haddock, CEO of the YMCAs on Cambridge and Kitchener-Waterloo.

It’s not clear if daycare programs run out of school buildings will be able to continue if administrative staff join teachers on strike.

Haddock said he has no “inside information” regarding that, or regarding the likelihood of a strike.

“We’re just hearing what’s being confirmed in the media,” he said.

It’s not just daycare outfits making plans for a potential strike.

“We’re already getting calls … wondering if something happens in the fall, will we have programming?” said Mark Bingeman of Bingemans.

Bingemans is putting together special packages to offer parents in the event of a teacher strike.