Ontario Offering Parents Help in the wake of Rotating Strikes

Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced aid to parents affected by rotating school strikes.  The Ontario  government’s plan to offer parents up to $60 per day if strike actions close schools or school-based child care centres.

“Our aim has always been to reach a negotiated settlement that keeps kids in class, which we have done successfully with multiple labour partners to date,” said Parm Gill, MPP for Milton.

“We recognize the impact of union escalation on families is real, and unions expect hard-working families to bear the costs of their cyclical labour action. Lecce said.

A full withdrawal of services could require parents to make alternative arrangements. A strike could also impact the operation of full-day child care centres located in schools — forcing them to close as a direct result of escalating union job action.

To address these potential realities, the Ministry of Education launched its Support for Parents initiative to make sure that child care and other safe spaces are as accessible as possible for any family impacted by strikes. It will also provide support to parents who are facing increased costs.

Financial support will be provided to parents for each day of school that a child misses on account of a labour disruption, or each day of child care that is not available if offered from a closed school.

Eligible parents of children up to age 12 (Grade 7), or up to age 21 for children and youth with special needs, in a publicly funded school, qualify for:

• $60 per day for children aged 0-6 who are not yet enrolled in school but attend a school-based child care centre that is required to close on account of the strike.

• $40 per day for students in Junior Kindergarten (JK) and Senior Kindergarten (SK).
• $25 per day for students in Grades 1 up to and including Grade 7.
• $40 total per day for students in JK up to and including Grade 12 with a special need(s).

Funding will also be retroactive for qualifying parents to cover costs already incurred due to labour disruptions that have occurred during the current 2019-20 labour negotiations.  More details about this financial support can be found by visiting the website or calling the Support for Parents Helpline at 888-444-3770.