The owner of Humberside Daycare in the Junction has delayed the planned shutdown of the centre near Keele St and Dundas St W until next year.
Parents of 100 children being cared for at Humberside were told Monday that the facility would close at the end of August as the owners put a greater focus on a Montessori school they own.
Moms and dads reacted with anger, tears and, anxiety about finding new childcare in an ultra competitive environment marked by waitlists that can stretch on longer than a year.
In a letter distributed to parents Thursday morning, owner Felix Bednarski writes that after "much consideration" and discussions with his family, programs at Humberside Daycare will be extended until June 28, 2019.
"We appreciate everyone's sincere thoughts and comments by bringing daycare issues to light in our community," the letter reads. "We hope that this decision will bring peace to the families in our care and our community."
Thank you for reconsidering. Humberside Daycare will now remain open until June 2019! Thank you for your support @BhutilaKarpoche @SarahEDoucette @NEWSTALK1010 @MooreintheAM pic.twitter.com/YffGjapwcp
— Ross Murray (@themurrayman) June 28, 2018
Whatever the reason for the change of heart, it is welcomed by Liza Porper. Her three-year-old son is in the care of Humberside after Porper put herself on a wait list when she was just five weeks pregnant. Her second son who is a year old is scheduled to start at the daycare next month.
"I've been waking every morning with a pit in my stomach and just dread and anxiety because I just didn't know what I was going to do," a relieved Porper told NEWSTALK 1010 Thursday.
She will keep her kids at Humberside but she says other parents still want to cut ties with the daycare. Some are angry at its owner for putting through unnecessary worry while others have already paid hundreds of dollars in deposits on childcare elsewhere.