Tuesday, July 8, 2025
HomeFeaturesTrustee: Trading EAs for ECEs won't work

Trustee: Trading EAs for ECEs won’t work

Published on

There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for more than 400 educational assistants (EAs) facing layoffs by the Toronto District School Board. But one East York school trustee says the so-called solution isn’t going to alleviate problems in her ward.

On April 11, the TDSB approved a partnership with Humber College, the Ministry of Education and the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 400. The partnership will begin this September and will allow EAs who are facing layoffs to participate in a program that will let them retrain as Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) for kindergarten classes.

Schools will still have to adjust when they lose their EAs, while they begin their ECE training. But once the province’s promised full-day kindergarten is implemented, they can go back to the classroom while completing their programs.

The other option for the EAs facing layoffs is to take severance pay.

Sheila Cary-Meagher says the plan has serious gaps.

“I have a problem,” said the trustee for Ward 16/Beaches-East York, “and the problem is that I have 16 schools that won’t become full-day kindergarten until 2013 and eight more until 2014,” Cary–Meagher said.

She explained that some of these schools have around 800 students, and they can’t function safely without keeping some EAs.

“We need enough EAs in these schools,” she said. “They are a crucial stop-gap. We can’t turn out backs on them. I am deeply concerned we are stripping those schools too low, where they can’t function safely.”

Learn about Centennial College's School of Communications, Media, Arts and Design

Latest articles

Ti-Cats rout Argos as QB Mitchell shines on historic night

Hamilton Tiger-Cats roared to a 51-38 win over the host Toronto Argonauts on Friday...

Ti-Cats hand Argos fourth loss in five games

Bo Levi Mitchell threw for five touchdowns and passed a big career milestone as...

What does it mean to be trans and Canadian?

Canada is widely regarded as one of the safest places in the world to be transgender, but trans people say they still remain vigilant.

Young Canadians have a different view now of driving, instructor says

For generations, getting a driver’s license was seen as a rite of passage, a symbol of independence and adulthood.

More like this

Golden Mile and Weston-Mount Dennis: How ILEO supports community-led change

Two neighbourhoods — Golden Mile in Scarborough and Weston-Mount Dennis in the city’s west end — are quietly reshaping what inclusive redevelopment could mean for Toronto’s future. 

United Way supports women by changing the narrative 

Annually, United Way grants $10 million to a diverse network of about 90 programs dedicated to serving women.

The how, where and why of volunteering at United Way

If you’ve ever considered volunteering, the process may seem difficult to navigate, or even overwhelming. United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) offers a variety of engagement opportunities that make your commitment worth it.