Municipal daycare issue pacified by two week deferral

After more than two hours of discussion, it will be the December 7th meeting before City Council moves forward on the issue of its three daycare centres. Council voted 7 to 4 on Monday to defer action on the a report from the Commissioner of Community Services. A request was made by Councillor Rick Niro for more specific information regarding certain cost savings, any agreements with school boards and a focus on various capacity levels for daycare. The news may be looked at as some temporary relief for affected parents like Courtney MacDonald, who has a son that attends daycare at Maycourt…

Council heard a number of presentations with regards to keeping the three city-operated daycares open. Drew McBride is a longtime daycare employee. McBride and his son have attended daycares at Maycourt and Jessie Irving. He talked about how the daycares helped to shape lives — evident through staff that have immunization and criminal checks, along with First Aid and CPR training. Council heard passionate presentations to support keeping the centres open, rather than have the city get out of the daycare business. One of those presentations came from the Missinabie Cree First Nation Chief Jason Gauthier, who has a daughter that has been attending Maycourt in June. He talks about how his child has benefitted from attending Maycourt…

Gauthier’s daughter was on a waiting list for two years before she was finally accepted at Maycourt. When asked if it was worth the wait, the Chief answered that it was and that it would not be helpful for her to go through that again. He added that this was a matter of ‘taking our children seriously’ and that daycare be of the highest priority. There are currently 503 children across the city of Sault Ste. Marie on a waiting list to be enrolled in daycare. MacDonald feels even at a year, the transition to another provider would have a negative effect on her child…

Concerned parent Rachel Punch presented her case again to Council. Punch has two children that attend daycare at Maycourt. She was one of many in attendance that feel the city should transfer their daycare services to schools, rather that get out of the business completely. Moving the 100 municipal spaces from Jessie Irving and Maycourt to schools was one of five options that a report from the Commissioner of Community Services suggests could be done regarding the situation.