11th hour deal keeps Sandy Hill Child Care Centre operating months after fire
The Sandy Hill Child Care Centre has an extra two weeks to get its new home up to code months after a fire.
A fire damaged the childcare centre on Wilbrod Street just days after Christmas. No one was hurt. The daycare moved into St. Paul's Eastern United Church on Cumberland Street during repairs, but it was later learned that the building on Wilbrod Street would need to be demolished.
During a temporary relocation, the Ministry of Education waives certain licensing requirements, but when it became apparent that the Wilbrod Street location could no longer be used, the daycare applied for a licence at the temporary location on Cumberland Street. However, the St. Paul's location was not up to ministry standards for a daycare.
The Sandy Hill Child Care Centre then identified a new location on Myrand Avenue and informed the Ministry of Education in April. The Myrand Avenue site will also need some renovations to get it up to code, so the daycare applied for a six-week extension to its 10-week temporary relocation allowance, which the ministry granted.
That extension was due to expire on Monday, but Sandy Hill needed more time. In a post on its Facebook page last week, the Sandy Hill Child Care Centre said it was initially denied an extension.
"It is critical that we remain open to support the 31 families we currently have enrolled," the post said, urging families to write to the ministry in support.
The director of the Sandy Hill Child Care Centre declined an on-camera interview with CTV News Ottawa.
Coun. Stéphanie Plante said it has been a stressful time for families and the daycare.
"Everybody was really happy with the new location; however, this is not a good permanent location," said Plante. "There was some concern over the bathroom because, obviously, this building is older… and the bathroom isn’t up to code to the daycares that are opening up today, but what we wanted to emphasize to the ministry is that these are kids. A lot of them are in diapers."
St. Paul's Eastern United Church was built in the late 1880s. The congregation disbanded in 2021.
Ottawa-Vanier MPP Lucille Collard also became involved in helping the daycare stay open.
"The red tape was probably some misunderstanding. This is a unique circumstance. The only compliance is there may not be a sufficient amount of bathrooms to comply with the building code for the childcare for the number of kids that they have," Collard said. "It’s a bit unfortunate that it took two elected officials to intervene and for the Ministry of Education to be called upon."
On Monday afternoon, the ministry confirmed to CTV News that a two-week extension has been granted, giving the Sandy Hill Child Care Centre until June 12 to get the new site ready. It has until June 8 to apply for a licence to operate at the church if the new site cannot be prepared in time.
--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Natalie van Rooy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.