BC parents scramble for childcare as schools close for Queen’s funeral

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Some parents in BC are expressing their frustrations online after the province announced schools would close for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday.

While public sector employees will get the day off to mourn the Queen’s passing, the province stopped short of designating it a holiday for workers in the private sector.

This has left parents scrambling to find childcare for their young children who attend public school.

pic.twitter.com/sGL8CXqCms

— embiqioused (@embiqioused) September 14, 2022

One Twitter user responded to the news by saying, “The babysitter business [is] about to boom for September.”

This month alone, parents point out there are already two days kids have the day off while some parents work. September 23 is a common Pro-D Day, and September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

BC has not designated September 30 as a statutory holiday but has marked it as a day of commemoration.

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To add to the stress, some children starting kindergarten start their first school year with a two-week gradual entry.

This is where caregivers and their children attend the first day of school together for one hour. After, students attend school alone for shorter periods during the first two weeks of school.

So my kid in kindergarten September schedule
2 weeks gradual entry
Sept 19 school closed
Sept 23 Pro-D day
Sept 30 Truth and Reconciliation day

7 days of actual full time school in September. Not exactly easy on working parents

— Ben on Burke Mtn 🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@BenOnBurkeMtn) September 14, 2022

This unexpected expense prompted one person on Twitter to say, “I’m sending [the] childcare bill to [the] Queen’s estate.“

BC Premier John Horgan followed the federal government’s lead in designating September 19 a day of mourning for the Queen’s passing.

In addition to public schools from kindergarten to grade 12 closing for the day, public post-secondary institutions and most Crown corporations will also be closed.

Before BC’s announcement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is also a federal holiday, so federal employees will not work on Monday.