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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.
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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.
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