Edmonton daycare centre shut down over concerns of unsupervised children
An Edmonton daycare has been shut down after failing to address concerns about unsupervised children, the province said Thursday.
A news release from the province says Willowbrae Academy West Point Centre, on 99 Avenue and 175 Street, was suspended and placed on a probationary licence after "a number" of non-compliances.
Child Care Licensing worked with the operators in an effort to help them resolve the issues.
However, when the probationary licence expired on Wednesday, the province said the location's suspended licence was not reinstated due to ongoing concerns and "unaddressed non-compliances involving unsupervised children."
Caregivers for the 187 children who attended the daycare were told about the closure in person on Wednesday.
The province says those not told in person will be notified by email.
The interior of Willowbrae Academy West Point Centre is seen in an undated photo from the facility's website. (willowbraechildcare.com)Luis Rivas, whose three-year-old attended the daycare, says the announcement caught him off guard as he and his family had never encountered any issues with the facility.
"The daycare informed us that they were on a probation period for three months, (and that) the probation period was coming to an end this week. We were getting email communications on how things were developing and there were good signs.
"They had a licence to operate with 202 kids, that was the capacity, so the communication was they were going to reinstate the licence but at a reduced capacity, so 110 (kids) instead, so they cut it by half."
Rivas says while some of the parents were then notified that they'd have to find childcare elsewhere due to the reduction in capacity, he and his wife were unaffected, and that nothing would change for them.
"Then yesterday, when we came to pick up the kids – my wife actually came to pick them up – there was six officers from child services here shutting it down," he said.
"A lot of parents will be in a tricky spot, especially now with the demand for daycares – there's not that many openings.
"I've reached out to multiple facilities, and nobody has openings; there's long waitlists – even a year-out from today."
Rivas says he ended up getting his child into a downtown daycare he had previously used, but it's not as close to their home or very convenient to get to.
He says he was told by the daycare he'd be reimbursed for a portion of October's childcare fees.
Rivas' kid had only been attending Willowbrae since Aug. 1.
The province says the daycare has 30 days to request an administrative review, alternative dispute resolution or an appeal.
Anyone with concerns about a childcare program in their community or needing to report an incident can do so by calling Child Care Connect toll-free at 1-844-644-5165.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau and Harris? Poilievre and Trump? Here's who Canadians think would work best with: survey
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
B.C. port employers launch lockout at terminals in labour dispute with workers
Employers at British Columbia ports say they are going ahead with locking out more than 700 foremen across the province after strike activities from union members began.
Months after VRBO booking, Taylor Swift fan told home 'not available' during Vancouver concert
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Felonies, assassination attempts and a last-minute change on the ticket leads voters to Tuesday's U.S. election
A campaign that has careened through a felony trial, incumbent being pushed off the ticket and assassination attempts comes down to Election Day on Tuesday.
Measles cases in New Brunswick more than double in three days
A measles outbreak declared in New Brunswick’s Zone 3 last week, which includes Fredericton and the upper Saint John River Valley, has more than doubled since last week.
Prison sentences handed down for sexually abusive London, Ont. parents
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about a year ago. Here's how her condition was reversed
A year ago, Lorraine O'Quinn was coping with stress, chronic illness and Type 2 diabetes. Then she discovered a health program that she says changed her life.
Surprise swing state? Iowa poll has Harris suddenly leading
Based on victories in the past two elections and polls leading up to Tuesday’s election, Donald Trump had seemed almost certain to win Iowa, but a new poll has Kamala Harris with a sudden three-point lead.
Russia suspected of sending incendiary devices on US- and Canada-bound planes, Wall Street Journal reports
Incendiary devices that ignited in Germany and the United Kingdom in July were part of a covert Russian operation that aimed to start fires aboard cargo and passenger flights heading to the U.S. and Canada, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday, citing Western security officials.