Email icon Back to Search

Sioux Lookout, ON – The Municipality of Sioux Lookout wishes to update the public on the transfer of Municipal childcare services, as provided through the Biidaaban and Sioux Mountain childcare centres, to the Kenora District Services Board (“KDSB”).

As announced on September 17, 2021, the Municipality informed the public that it had entered into a “Transfer Agreement” with the KDSB wherein the KDSB would assume responsibility for the two Municipally-run Child Care centres on January 1, 2022.

The Municipality has recently become aware of an application to the Ontario Labour Board with respect to which Union will represent the childcare workers following the transfer. As a result of this application and associated issues, the Municipality will be required to continue operating the childcare centres into the first quarter of 2022, after which it is anticipated that the KDSB will operate childcare services. 

We wish to reassure the public that childcare services will continue as of January 1, 2022. 

The Municipality wishes to provide the following facts respecting this process:

  • Municipal childcare workers are not being asked to relinquish any collective bargaining rights;
  • the Municipality has, through the Transfer Agreement, ensured the protection of our childcare worker’s rights and benefits, including the retention of seniority, vacation, sick leave entitlements, and other such benefits which have been negotiated and accrued over the years;
  • the Municipality has kept its childcare staff informed of the process and continues to be transparent with respect to the transfer of the program, answering questions and concerns from staff as they arise.
  • the Municipality has worked diligently with the KDSB to ensure that the childcare delivery model implemented through a transfer would not see a reduction in childcare spaces.

The Municipality looks forward to finalizing the transfer of childcare services to the KDSB in the coming months, and will continue to update the public on the timelines for this transfer.

-30-

For more information, please contact:
Michelle Larose, Chief Administrative Officer
807-737-2700 or [email protected]

PDF version available to download at link below.

Attachments