KITCHENER -- The Region of Waterloo is working towards providing emergency childcare for parents who provide critical services.
The temporary, emergency childcare program will run 24/7 and be available for healthcare and frontline workers who have "exhausted all other care options for their children," the region says in a news release.
These critical service workers include, but are not limited to:
- Healthcare workers
- Police officers and force workers
- Firefighters
- Paramedics
A full list of qualifying jobs can be found on the Region of Waterloo website.
Fees will be paid by the Ministry of Education, meaning the service will be free for parents.
"Starting later next week, licensed care will open up at the Region-owned Edith MacIntosh Children’s Centre in Kitchener and Christopher Children’s Center in Cambridge," the region explains in the release.
The region will also offer care through its Licensed Home Child Care program. That means that some childcare will be done within private homes around the region.
Care will be offered to kids aged 12 and under, the region says.
"All child care providers will meet health and safety and policy requirements based on guidance from the Province and Region of Waterloo Public Health," the release says.
Anyone interested in using this service can apply online.
Families will be placed in care based on factors including the urgency of need.
"We are hearing from critical services that they are really running short on staff who are able to come into work and a significant barrier has been access to childcare," said Barb Cardow of the Region of Waterloo. "For those services to continue to operate those parents absolutely need those childcare arrangements, so they can do the good work supporting our community."
