Children living with a disability who receive services at John McGivney Children’s Centre (JMCC) may experience a disruption in resources. The Centre’s management, represented by OPSEU Local 170, can legally lock out employees or strike as of 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2025, if a new contract agreement is not reached. According to a statement from OPSEU Local 170, the union doesn’t intend to initiate a strike. JMCC officials argue base funding from the ministry is why they are unable to meet the monetary demands being made by the Union. In a statement, JMCC writes ‘during our last day of conciliation, we presented the Union with our best offer, which included wage enhancements and other increases.’ The centre says the union did not accept the offer but that the offer is still on the table. However, OPSEU says they’ve asked the employer to return to the bargaining able, but they haven’t accepted an offer to do so. The union says management must advocate for funding increases from the provincial government, as underfunding and low wages are making it difficult to recruit skilled professionals. As a result, the union says waitlists for services are growing. “Workers deserve fair wages and the children, youth and families they support deserve stable, well-staffed programs,” said OPSEU in a statement. Families will be kept informed if there are any changes to their services.
