B.C. teachers' strike: parents scramble for daycare spaces

Daycare operators in British Columbia are scrambling to keep up with increased demand as more parents need to find places to send their kids with schools staying closed Tuesday.

Sept. 2 is meant to be the 1st day of school, but it isn't in B.C. this year

Steven Chua The Canadian Press Posted: Sep 01, 2014 8:03 PM EDT | Last Updated: September 2, 2014

As B.C. daycares struggle to meet demand as the teachers' strike continues into the start of the new school year, some kids may be left dangling without anywhere to go. (CBC)

Daycare operators in British Columbia are scrambling to keep up with increased demand as more parents need to find places to send their kids with schools staying closed Tuesday.

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JanosStiasny, owner of Wise Owl Montessori Child Care, said spots in his daycare have filled right up because of the ongoing teachers' strike.

He said he normally gets more than 65 childrenbut due tothe strike his care centres are looking after about 90 kids in total and about 14 children remain on the wait-list.

"We are very carefully managing the scarce space available," saidStiasny. "We had to hire additional educators, so for us as an operator it's been quite a time for us to get ready and prepared."

"Parents are kind of in a panic mode," he said. "They are scrambling."

Talks break down

Talks between the government's bargainers and teachers fell apart over the weekend, dashing any hopes parents had that school would start as scheduled on Tuesday.

Both sides have said they are willing to engage in talks that would end or at least suspend the strike but have also acknowledged school would almost certainly not start on time, and no meetings between the two have been scheduled.

The impasse has forced many to seek alternate arrangements for childcare that would normally be provided by schools, and the spike in demand for daycare is proving challenging.

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Facilities full

Stiasnysaid the facilities he has will not be large enough to keep accommodating extra kids, and it may be some time before he can make arrangements to expand his operation.

In order to get more building space,Stiasnysaid he must go through extensive licensing procedures and then have to worry about finding the right staff.

Parents are kind of in a panic mode. They are scrambling.- JanosStiasny, owner of Wise Owl Montessori Child Care

"It would probably be by the end of October by the time I could have a license to operate and have the adequate manager and educators in place," he said.

As the father of a 10-year-old,Stiasnysaid the strike is also affecting him.

He said hisdaycaresare full and have no room for his child, forcing him to make arrangements with friends.

"It's very stressful because we wanted to make sure we served our community," he said.

Stiasnyand his friends, who have children in Grades 3 and 5 will be taking turns getting time off work in order to babysit.

"We are going to be losing revenue in terms of our income potential since we have to stay home and take care of our children," he said.

Other places such as the YMCA of Greater Vancouver are alsorampingup their efforts to take care of children who would normally be at class.

The organization has started what it calls strike camps, which would provide almost 1,200 spaces for children during the ongoing job action.

Spaces for these camps are dwindling an answering machine for the organization stated three of the five locations have been filled.

$40-a-day to be paid to eligible caregivers

Even the province is stepping in to help with the burden.

Education Minister Peter Fassbender announced on Sunday parents of children aged 12 and under can start registering on a government site to receive $40 a day for childcare as the strike continues.

The website bcparentinfo.ca said payments will be made after the strike is over.

MORE | Registration opens for $40-a-day parent support payment

Glitches marred its launch on Sunday, and the Ministry of Education said it is investigating.

Jim Iker, the president of BC Teachers' Federation, has been critical of the program, calling it a bribe at a recent union conference.

But Fassbender has defended the payments, saying the province has every right to distribute money saved from a strike according to parents' best interests.