‘It’s been horrible’: Sylvan Learning Centre owner owes thousands to former staff and parents

CTV’s Joseph Bernacki speaks with the owner of the local Sylvan Learning Centres about the abrupt closures in recent months.

The owner of two Sylvan Learning Centres in Winnipeg which closed abruptly this summer, leaving thousands of dollars in unpaid wages and tuition fees, said he is working on a plan to pay staff and parents.

“It’s been horrible, this hasn’t been good,” Les Redelinghuys said. “I don’t have any backup plan. I haven’t stolen money. I haven’t gotten a fund where I’ve taken all the people’s money and put it anywhere. I put every single cent.”

Redelinghuys said the federal department in charge of Jordan’s Principle, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), is to blame for the business losses. He said 90 per cent of the kids enrolled at his programs were First Nations and funded by the government while under the administration of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO).

When ISC pulled funding from SCO in early spring, he said he knew there would be repercussions.

“They (SCO) got an email from ISC saying there’s no more funding for any Indigenous child in the whole of Manitoba,” Redelinghuys said. “It’s all been cancelled and we have to stop immediately. You tell me how to stop a business immediately?”

SCO did not respond to an inquiry by CTV News. ISC told CTV News Winnipeg they could not comment on this specific case or say how much Redelinghuys is owed.

Former teachers and staff owed thousands

Teacher Trina Knight has worked with Sylvan Learning Centre for two decades and this summer, her location closed temporarily, leading her to believe something was wrong.

“It was kind of like a period of limbo, where the teachers that were still left, the ones that hadn’t walked out, we really didn’t know what to do,” Knight said. “To me it’s still sort of like, I can’t believe it’s going to be gone.”

Hours were cut and some staff quit, but Knight said she stayed because she loved her job. When Redelinghuys stopped communicating and closed the doors, she filed two claims with the provincial employment standards office.

Recently, she was awarded two judgments totalling more than $4,000.

“It’s been very challenging,” Knight said. “There’s no money coming in. I actually had to move.”

Amber Neufeld worked as the director of Sylvan Learning Centre on Henderson Highway. She said there was very little communication and she is owed more than $5,000 in lost wages. She is looking for answers from Redelinghuys.

“At what point are you going to decide to just close?” she said. “Right now, you’re expecting your staff to still show up to work.”

Knight said the lack of communication on Redelinghuys’ part caused a lot of confusion.

“I would have had so much respect for him if he would have just come out and said, ‘This is what’s happening; we all need to prepare,’” Knight said.

In the meantime, Knight said she has been reaching out to former Sylvan Learning Centre parents to update them on what happened and offer her services privately through a website called TK Tutoring.

Indigenous Services Canada would not tell CTV News Winnipeg how many kids are left without lessons, citing privacy concerns.

So far, Knight has found five former students and is looking for more.

“It’s actually been more challenging than I thought to find people,” Knight said. “I found a few, but there’s still quite a few kids I would love to find and just make sure they’re okay, you know, see if they’ve landed somewhere else, if they still need help.”

Business Development Bank sues Redelinghuys for more than $78,000

Redelinghuys has been the franchise owner of both Sylvan locations since 2020.

“I actually sold my house and put the money in there in this business,” he said, adding that he is busy looking for other sources of funding to pay people back.

“If the funding comes through, 100 per cent I’m in,” he said. “I’ll even give them a bonus if the funding comes.”

Court documents show that on top of staff and parent liabilities, a national bank is also suing Redelinghuys and his companies for outstanding loan payments totalling $78,437.51.

According to a statement of claim filed last month in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) alleges that Redelinghuys took out two loans and his companies that operated in Winnipeg are directly liable.

But according to that statement of claim, the outstanding amount is now due, as Redelinghuys and his companies have defaulted under the terms of the loan agreements and guarantees.

The suit also seeks interest and costs for the legal action. He nor his companies has filed a statement of defence and none of the claims have been tested in court.