Waterloo Region’s public and Catholic school boards have announced the vendor chosen to develop a new registration system for their extended day programs. “Mekanys creates digital tools that help child care programs stay organized and operate more efficiently,” a post on the Waterloo Region District School Board’s website said. “Their system manages registration, waitlists and accurate record-keeping to support the needs of WRDSB’s parents, families and caregivers.” The system will have an improved user interface, they promised, as well as “enhanced communication” around space availability. There’s also good news for parents who need to register more than one child. “One of the key changes in our updated waitlist policy is that we will now prioritize existing families and siblings,” the Waterloo Region District School Board wrote. “These updates are intended to make registration quicker and easier, support coordinated sibling registration, and reduce disruptions for students already enrolled in the program.” The Waterloo Catholic District School Board is also switching to Mekanys. OneList frustration OneList was the program previously used by both school boards to register students for before and after school care. Melissa Hilton, the manager for WRDSB’s extended day program, said they had been using OneList for the last 12 years. Recently, however, it was plagued by problems. The system shut down shortly after registration opened in June 2024. Parents said the website refused to refresh, while others likened the experience to “The Hunger Games.” OneList was shut down later that same day. “It took about three months for the system to get back online and running,” Hilton said. According to OneHSN, its software needed a significant structural update due to changes to the Canada-wide Early Learning Program but OneList could not handle the overwhelming demand placed on it. Then, three weeks later, some parents received emails confirming their child’s registration in extended care, only to learn they had been sent out by mistake. OneHSN promised they were working around the clock to fix the problems, while parents scrambled to find a last-minute childcare solution. Changes were made ahead of the 2025-26 school year, including staggered sign-ups. Parents still reported issues, including registration to the wrong school, but OneHSN described the problems as “minor.” The public and Catholic school boards announced they would be switching to a new system in early March. “We support over 4,000 families in extended day programs... across 75 schools,” Hilton said of the Waterloo Region District School Board. “We need a system that is sophisticated and can provide that support to a high volume of parents.” Feedback from caregivers played a part in the process. “Families told us continuity of care is important. They want to be able to register as a household and register all their children at one time,” explained Hilton. “We will prioritize care for existing families. We will allow households to register siblings at one time, and we will provide clear communication in terms of host locations for camp programs, as well as we have the option to communicate with families by text or by email based on their preference.” What parents need to know about registration For students with the Waterloo Region District School Board, registration for the 2026-27 school year opens on May 19 at 8:30 a.m. They also said students enrolled before May 1, who register between May 19 and May 29, will be “considered in the priority placement.” Confirmation of status will be shared the week of June 1 to June 5. “Due to an increase in demand for child care spaces, some programs may have waiting lists,” they also warned on their website. Registration day is also May 19 at 8:30 a.m. for students with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. “Currently enrolled families who register between May 19 and 29, 2026 will receive priority placement for the upcoming year,” their website said. Status updates will also be available the week of June 1. - With reporting from Spencer Turcotte
