A daycare center in Trois-Rivières, in Mauricie, will have to close its doors since the Ministry of the Family is slow to issue them a permit while the needs are growing.
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The noose is tightening around the L’Espace Jeux & co daycare center and 150 families will find themselves without a plan B by Wednesday.
“There are families who find themselves without an option, who will have to stop working,” commented the head of the organization Judith Sarrazin to TVA Nouvelles on Friday.
This summer, the drop-in center received a notice of non-compliance from the Ministère de la Famille. The pandemic has reduced the offer of services and activities offered to families, such as homework help. Officials have relied more on the childcare service to meet the glaring needs. For weeks, they have been waiting for their license for a daycare with atypical schedules, but the answer is slow to arrive.
“It’s a service we need because essential services work on weekends. I find that a shame, because it’s there and we put the ax. We put the ax in something that we could just polish, ”said Mylène Bélanger, a mother who uses the service.
Pending a response from the Ministry of the Family, the drop-in center will have to close, even if the place is operational and qualified personnel are in place. Parents and those in charge of the daycare are asking the government to prioritize the issue.
The closure causes stress for many families. For example, Jamy Ladouceur will not only lose his job for an indefinite period, but also a place for his little Sofia.
The drop-in center has supported 350 children over the past few months. The requested permit would open 42 places, including 10 for infants.
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