Pop-up ‘strike camps’ available in Ontario as alternative childcare if CUPE strikes Monday

Globalnews.ca
Oct. 7, 2019
Farah Nasser

As parents prepare to make alternative care arrangements for children who might be out of school due to a potential strike by Ontario’s CUPE education workers on Monday, a number of camps and daycare services are being set up just in case.

The province’s 55,000 custodians, early childhood educators, educational assistants and administrative staff will be on the picket lines Monday morning if a resolution isn’t found between CUPE and the provincial government by the end of the weekend.

Now, tens of thousands of parents are being forced to find alternative childcare options for their kids.

Here are some places offering ‘pop-up’ strike camps across the province:

• NTR Hockey School in Richmond Hill will be holding a hockey camp for skaters with or without hockey experience.
• Evergreen Brickworks in Toronto will be operating an “Evergreen Adventure Camp.”
• Pawsitively Pets is planning on holding a camp at its Leaside location, possibly adding camps at its Markham and Beaches locations.
• Valour Martial Arts and Fitness Club in Markham will be cancelling classes and instead running a strike camp.
• Active Kids Zone in North York will be running a holiday camp program.
• Variety Village in Toronto will be offering a camp for kids with special needs (limited number of spaces available).
• Energy Karate in Vaughan will be holding a strike day camp.
• Elite Basketball Camps in North York will have “School Strike Fun Days.”
• Reptilia in Vaughan will be running a pop-up day camp.
• ViBE Dance & Fitness Studio in Thornhill has “Camp Vibe” running if there is a strike.
• Toronto Athletic Camp (TAC) will be holding GTA strike camps in various locations.
• Treehouse Play Centre in Richmond Hill will run Treehouse Play Centre Special Camp Days.
• The Little Artist Toronto has daily “Art Days” for kids in the event of a strike.
• The City of Vaughan is introducing city-run day camps pending school closures.
• JEI Learning Centre in Markham will be running a daily academic camp.
• UrbanPark Indoor Playland will be offering parents a strike camp in Aurora.
• Kid’s Cuckoos Nest in Aurora has a daily play camp in the event of a strike.
• Canadian Children’s Theatre Co. in Aurora will be running a theatre camp.
• Just Bounce Trampoline Club has a strike camp running at both their North York and Newmarket locations.

Global News does not endorse any of these camps or services.