Early learning and child care centres operated by the Regional Municipality of Durham will remain closed until further notice, said a municipal announcement.
The closure will provide enough preparation time to re-open the child care programs safely, ensuring learning environments support healthy development during Covid-19, it said.
Emergency child care centres will continue to operate until June 26, offering free care exclusively for eligible healthcare and frontline workers so these individuals can provide critical services to the community amid Covid-19. These clients will then have priority for a child care spot at their original placement site, it added.
The provincial government recently announced that child care centres are permitted to open on Friday, June 12. However, additional preparation time is required prior to opening early learning and child care centres, in order to ensure that the health and safety of children, parents, and staff are at the forefront of service delivery, the municipality said.
The details and the timelines for programs to re-open will vary. Families can contact their service provider for additional information.Updates will also be provided on the Region’s Early Learning and Child Care web page.
Parent fees will be waived during this time. This includes:
- Ajax Early Learning and Child Care Centre
- Edna Thomson Early Learning and Child Care Centre (Bowmanville)
- Clara Hughes Early Learning and Child Care Centre (Oshawa)
- Lakewoods Early Learning and Child Care Centre (Oshawa)
- Pickering Early Learning and Child Care Centre
- Sunderland Early Learning and Child Care Centre
- Whitby Early Learning and Child Care Centre
For child care centres not operated by the Region of Durham, families should contact their child care centre directly for information about closures.
Early learning and child care operators are working with the Ministry of Education, Durham Region Medical Officer of Health and the Children’s Services Division to ensure child care facilities, early learning professionals and program policies are established to re-open safely during the ongoing health pandemic.
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