Ottawa School Board Faces Childcare Shortage with 1,005 Waitlisted

The Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) has informed the parents of over 1,000 children that they must seek alternative childcare arrangements for the start of the school year in September 2023. This announcement comes as the board faces a significant shortage of spaces in its Extended Day Program (EDP), which offers before and after school care for students.

For the upcoming school year, the OCDSB has made available 5,280 spaces across 68 licensed programs. Yet, with 1,005 children currently on the waiting list, many families are left in a difficult position. Parents received an email last Friday outlining that their children would not be allocated spaces in the EDP for the first day of classes.

The communication highlighted the challenges faced by the board: “Unfortunately, due to the Canada-wide shortage of early childhood educators, and despite our ongoing efforts to recruit and hire additional personnel, we have been unable to secure sufficient staff to admit your child into the program for the beginning of the new school year,” the letter stated. It emphasized the importance of adhering to mandated staff-to-student ratios, which restrict the board’s ability to accept more children at this time.

Families have been advised to arrange alternative childcare solutions, at least for September, while their children remain on the waiting list. The letter reassured parents that efforts are underway to recruit additional staff, which may allow for more spaces later in the school year. “We anticipate that many families will want an approximate timeline of when a space will become available. As this is based on staffing recruitment, each location will vary,” it noted.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Diane Pernari, a spokesperson for the OCDSB, acknowledged the frustration and disappointment faced by families on the waitlist. “This situation creates a significant challenge for parents, and the EDP team is working to address this,” she said. To mitigate the issue, the board is actively recruiting and retraining early childhood educators, including steps to increase wages for part-time positions and conducting ongoing recruitment efforts throughout the year.

Pernari also pointed out that the low turnover within the program contributes to the limited number of available openings. “Children are eligible to remain in the program from junior kindergarten through the end of Grade 6, which means existing spaces rarely become available,” she explained. The OCDSB has agreements with 30 licensed childcare agencies to provide before and after school programs, but the current demand far exceeds supply.

In light of these challenges, the board encourages families to explore other options, as the City of Ottawa does offer before and after school programs at various community centres and sports complexes.

As the situation continues to develop, the OCDSB commits to keeping families informed and will reach out directly when spaces become available. Families on the waiting list are urged to stay in communication with the board for updates regarding potential openings.

For those interested in sharing their experiences, CTV News Ottawa is inviting parents on the waitlist for the Extended Day Program to reach out via email at [email protected].