Toronto-run child-care centres, March Break rec programs will close if city workers strike: city manager

The City of Toronto announced Friday that, should the union representing the city’s 27,000 inside workers decide to strike, several family services will close, including 39 Toronto-run child care and early learning centres.

“Our local 79 members run programming at recreation centres, and if there is a labour disruption, nearly all of the city’s recreation centres will be closed and recreation programming cancelled, and that includes, because of the timing of this, potentially the March Break camps and activities that are city run and held at city facilities,” City Manager Paul Johnson said at a news conference on Friday.

In the event that happens, the city says refunds will be issued for any paid recreation programs and clients will not be charged for each day the city-run child-care centres remain closed.

With parents potentially faced with the dilemma of closed child-care centres during the workweek, CUPE Local 79 President Nas Yadollahi said this decision to shutter these facilities lies on the shoulders of the city.

“We don’t want to strike. We want to continue to do the work that we love, and we want to continue to care and serve the people of Toronto,” Yadollahi told reporters on Friday afternoon.

“If we are unable to do that, it is because the city has chosen that path forward, and I would suggest that the parents concerned, write to their councillors, call City Hall, and let them know, give these workers a fair contract so that there does not need to be job action.”

The union requested a “no-board” report from the province earlier in February, starting the clock on possible job action, as CUPE Local 79 continues to plead for better working conditions and better wages.

“We want fair wage increases, wages that keep up with inflation and reflect what other municipal workers have received,” Yadollahi said. “Let’s be clear, the increases we are fighting for are nowhere near the raises city management has awarded themselves.” The union president also said they are demanding an end of minimum wage jobs for inside city workers.

The city assured emergency response teams will not be impacted by the strike action, that winter maintenance operations to clear snow off roads and sidewalks will continue as normal and that long-term care facilities and senior services will still operate.

Florence Mwangi, a personal support worker with the city’s senior services and long-term care division, told reporters Friday they are facing an “unprecedented crisis in staffing.”

“The number of vacancies in senior services and long-term care has grown by 687 per cent with nearly 500 unfilled positions. That means those of us who remain are being asked to do the impossible to care for more residents with fewer staff, and the conditions that are pushing us past the point of exhaustion,” Mwangi said.

Yadollahi said she finds it “interesting” the city’s only concern is that long-term care workers can’t actually strike.

“They should probably turn their concern in their minds to fixing the retention and recruitment crisis in long-term care that’s impacting the residents, some of the most vulnerable residents in the city of Toronto,” Yadollahi said.

The city’s bargaining team has been at the table since December 2024, and says it remains committed to negotiating a new collective agreement, adding that it has offered a nearly 15 per cent general wage increase over the next four years.

The union said they will return to the bargaining table on Monday.

“They did provide us with fairly substantial proposal I think early this morning or very late last night, so we’re looking at that, but they asked that we restart on Monday. However, we’re available at any time,” Johnson said.

The official strike action deadline is March 8 at 12:01 a.m.