Licensed child care centres across Greater Sudbury are providing emergency child care services beginning Monday, January 10, 2022, to support essential workers not able to accommodate their school-aged child’s learning or care at home.

As part of COVID-19 measures coming into effect on January 5, school-aged children in Greater Sudbury will be participating in remote learning until January 17.

Emergency child care services are reserved exclusively for children of essential service workers, as identified by the Province of Ontario, who are not able to accommodate their school-aged child’s learning or care at home.

Workers designated by the Province as essential include health care, social, justice and emergency services, food service, grocery store, construction workers, truck drivers among others.

Workers who require emergency child care are encouraged to verify whether they meet the Provincial eligibility requirements, at https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/200263.

If you meet the requirements, families who already attend a licensed child care centre should contact their child care provider to see if they are offering Emergency Child Care.

Families who do not have a child care space for their school-aged children and are eligible for Emergency Child Care can complete the online Emergency Child Care Application at https://www.greatersudbury.ca/live/covid-19-coronavirus/emergency-child-care/emergency-child-care-application/ as soon as possible.

Families who are unable to apply online can contact Children Services for assistance at 705-674-4455, extension 4279.

A limited number of spots are available, and priority will be given to children already registered within the programs. Emergency child care will be provided at no cost.

Services will operate Monday to Friday, with varying hours based on each centre, until at least January 14, 2022.

The City will reassess providing emergency child care after January 14, based on Provincial guidance.

For more information on emergency child care, visit https://www.greatersudbury.ca/live/child-care-and-early-learning/.