Ontario’s education minister has instructed licensed daycare providers to immediately block off parking spaces directly next to child-care facilities following a tragic incident where a toddler lost his life in a daycare north of Toronto due to an SUV crash. The aim of these measures, first proposed by Paul Calandra, is to enhance the safety of children and child-care providers.
In a memo obtained by The Canadian Press, Calandra outlined that all parking spaces adjacent to daycare entryways, playgrounds, windows, and exterior walls of classrooms should be secured during operational hours until additional safety precautions are in place. Daycare staff are advised to use temporary barriers like pylons, signage, and staff vehicles to prevent parking in these areas, except for accessible parking spots.
These directives were prompted by a recent incident in Richmond Hill, Ontario, where a vehicle collided with a daycare, resulting in the tragic death of a 1 1/2-year-old boy and injuries to six other young children and three adults. York Regional Police reported that one of the critically injured children has been discharged from the hospital.
Calandra highlighted in his communication that child-care centers already protected by vehicle barriers and those situated within private residences can maintain the use of adjacent parking spaces. Daycare providers operating in leased premises are encouraged to liaise with their landlords to discuss implementing safety measures promptly.
The minister emphasized the importance of promptly executing these safety measures and urged licensees to assess other potential risks within their facilities, like proximity to driveways or roundabouts, to determine if additional safety measures are necessary. The government is actively identifying vulnerabilities that may demand permanent solutions, such as installing bollards, planters, or modifying curbs outside daycares.
Calandra assured daycare providers facing challenges in implementing the changes that efforts are being made to facilitate the installation of protective barriers, including exploring legislative or regulatory amendments to overcome existing municipal or landlord restrictions hindering such installations.