Daycare in Waterloo Region raises questions over province’s parking lot policy

A local daycare is seeking clarity and support around the Ford government's daycare parking lot police. CTV's Alexandra Holyk has the story.

A childcare operator in Waterloo Region is seeking clarity from the provincial government regarding its rules around facility parking spaces.

Earlier this month, Education Minister Paul Calandra sent a memo to daycares across the province, asking them to block parking spots where kids could potentially be at risk.

“Any parking spaces that are directly adjacent to child care facilities (e.g., entryways, playgrounds, exterior walls of program rooms, windows, or areas where children gather), with the exception of accessible spaces, should be blocked off and not used until additional safety measures have been put in place,” the memo reads, in part.

The move came after a 70-year-old man crashed his car through the window of a daycare in Richmond Hill, Ont. on Sept. 10, killing one toddler and injuring several others.

“Our location is quite different from that location,” said Dana Bernhardt, the executive director of Emmanuel Early Learning and Care in Waterloo. “So, to have a one-size-fits-all approach might not make sense in the long-term safety measures that the Ministry of Education is trying to implement.”

In an email to CTV News, a ministry spokesperson said the current closures are temporary, “and will remain in place until protective barriers such as bollards, planters or other safety measures are installed.”

But protection can come with a hefty price tag.

“I have received a few quotes, they’re between $20,000 and $35,000, depending on the type of barrier,” said Bernhardt. “Which, as a non-profit childcare, we don’t have the funds for.”

The daycare operator also raised safety concerns unique to its other location in Baden, Ont.

“The parking lot is smaller. Right now, temporarily, we’re asking staff to park across the road,” said Bernhardt.

However, Bernhardt said this is only a short-term solution. In the winter months, staff will have to cross a busy, poorly lit four-way stop intersection when it’s dark out.

“It is not a good long-term strategy,” she said.

In the meantime, Bernhardt is asking the province for direction around parking lot protection.

“Particularly around whether or not funding will be provided to install the safety barriers, which we do agree should be implemented,” she said.

“We are also exploring options to support operators, as well as ensuring they do not face obstacles with landlords and municipalities to install appropriate safety barriers,” the spokesperson said in their statement.