With no agreement in site between the province and public high school teachers, it appears that many students in our area will be getting a mid-week day off from classes Wednesday (December 3). 

Members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation will be staging a one day strike, with Union President Harvey Bischof saying there has been no progress in contract talks for days. 

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board says all its schools, including elementary schools, will be closed Wednesday if the members carry out a full walkout. Only the high schools will be affected if it’s a partial walkout. 

Education Minister Stephen Lecce says a new offer has been made to the teachers, and he is hoping they will compromise on compensation. 

Meanwhile, the Upper Canada District School Board says classes will be cancelled for high school students in the event of a walkout but elementary schools will remain open. 

Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario, and Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est also expect to close schools if the strike takes place. 

In response, the City of Ottawa has announced plans to open day camps at some recreational facilities to help parents who can’t find last minute childcare. Click here for more details.