City opens day camps for potential strike day

Thousands of elementary and high school students in eastern Ontario will getan extraday off Wednesday if a one-day strike by teachers with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) goes ahead.

The job action, announced late last week, will leavemany parents in the area scrambling to find last-minute child care.

• Public high school teachers to hold 1-day province-wide strike on Dec. 4

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OSCDSB), theConseil des coles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (CEPEO) and theConseil des coles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) will close all schools Wednesday.

To help accommodate the students, the City of Ottawa is offering day camps at a dozen community and recreation centresacross the city on Wednesday.

Programs will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with some offering pre- and post-camp care at an extra cost, the City of Ottawa says.

Ottawa Catholic School Board schools will remainopen Wednesday because none of its employees belong to theOSSTF.

Other boards in the region are planning to close high schools only, while others are planning to keep all schools open. Parents are advised to check their board's website for the latest information.

• Teacher walkout could close elementary schools too, OCDSB says
• Public schools brace for job action by teachers

While a different union represents public elementary school teachers in the province, OSSTF members include early childhood educators, clerical workers, maintenance and custodial employees,and other support staff at elementary schools.

City opens day programs

The city has opened registration for Dec. 4 day camps throughout theOttawa-Carleton District School Board region.

The cost is $40 and parents can register children ages four to 12 at camps run out of these community and recreation centres:

• Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex.
• CARDELREC Recreation Complex.
• Greely Community Centre.
• Greenboro Community Centre.
• Hintonburg Community Centre Program (only available for sixto 12 year olds).
• Kanata Recreation Complex.
• Manotick Community Centre.
• Richcraft Recreation Complex.
• Rideauview Community Centre.
• Sawmill Creek Pool and Community Centre.
• St-Laurent Complex.
• Walter Baker Sports Centre.

For information on how to register, parents can go to the recreation program page on the city's website.

Other community centres, including Dovercourt Recreation Centre and the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group (GNAG), are also offering last-minute care.

Mary Tsai, executive director of GNAG, said Monday the 45 spots it made available for Wednesday filled upwithin hours of being posted on the GNAG website. However, Tuesday at noon, the group said it hadmanaged to create another 35 spaces by adding five staff, a bus, and a trip to a museum.