As cold and flu season approaches, 18 Greater Victoria elementary schools don't have a full-time custodian
Kids are back at school, bringing germs into the classroom with them — and teachers in Greater Victoria worry there's a lack of custodians to keep their schools properly clean.
“It’s really concerning for teachers when their classrooms need to be cleaned and there’s nobody there -- and not just classrooms but the bathrooms,” said Ilda Turcotte, president of the Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association.
She said a lack of custodians last year led to instances of vomit not getting cleaned up for hours at schools. “Things sat for most of the day, until somebody could come and clean,” said Turcotte on Thursday.
Turcotte also said with cold and flu season right around the corner, along with COVID cases rising, a lack of cleaning staff for desks and other surfaces is a concern.
After pressure last year -- the Greater Victoria School District hired five additional custodians for this year.
The district is still at least nine custodians short of what they had a couple years ago, when all schools in Greater Victoria had a full-time custodian during the day.
SD 61 confirms that it has 18 schools -- all smaller elementary schools, including James Bay School — that don’t have a full-time custodian during the day.
Declining funding has meant there are three fewer custodians in the district now than there were five years ago, and 12 less than there were in 2010 — even though there are more students and more spaces to clean at the schools.
In a statement to CTV News, B.C.’s education minister, Rachna Singh, attributed the shortage of custodians to the ongoing labour shortage, telling CTV "a tight labour market is a reality for many sectors throughout B.C. We are actively working to support school districts in their recruitment of qualified staff including custodians.”
The real problem, according to the district and teachers, is a lack of funding from the province.
“If there was enough money to go around to address all of the shortfalls and all of the needs of the schools, we wouldn’t be in situations like this,” said Turcotte.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
With DNA break, police ID victim in decades-old Newfoundland case
A skull was found along a backroad near St. John's more than 20 years ago. Now, police have finally identified the victim of the homicide.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's housing plan defeated in House of Commons
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's housing bill has been defeated in the House of Commons with the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois voting against the legislation.
B.C. man to be extradited to U.S. on charges of sexually assaulting stepdaughter
A British Columbia man will be extradited to the United States, where he faces a possible life sentence if convicted of charges that he repeatedly sexually assaulted his stepdaughter, after losing his appeal of the extradition order Tuesday.
Trudeau must more publicly support ICC decisions amid Israel-Hamas war: ex-ministers
A group of prominent former politicians and current academics is asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to change his tone on the possibility of arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders.