Parents who have not yet registered their children for the day camp may find themselves in the water as several cities have reduced the number of places available due to a lack of entertainers.
“It’s the first time this has happened to me in seven years,” says Léa Gaudreault, a mother from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
As every year, she tried to enroll her two children, ages 7 and 11, in the day camp in her town. But this time the lists were complete before the registration deadline.
In fact, the city of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu had to reduce its places due to the lack of staff.
And it’s not the only one. The city of Trois-Rivières had to cut 200 day campsites, which its budget allowed because it lacked 19 animators.
At Saguenay, more than 300 more places could have been offered if we had only managed to recruit a dozen additional observers.
Full Cancellation
Guillaume Lamoureux, Mayor
The small town of La Pêche in Outaouais has even completely canceled its day camp service for this summer. Around 80 families therefore have to find another solution.
“We really waited as long as possible before making this decision,” explains Mayor Guillaume Lamoureux.
But even after the salaries offered were slightly increased, La Pêche received only 15 applications, compared to around 60 in the past.
Where are the youngsters?
For example, young people who might be interested in employment ended up choosing a job closer to home because of the price of gas, he illustrates.
According to a survey conducted in April by the Association des camps du Québec, the problem is also being felt on the part of private camps.
About 65% of the 275 responding camps said recruitment was more difficult this year, says Valérie Desrosiers, communications coordinator.
“There seems to be a demographic inversion. It’s like we don’t have young people anymore,” she summarizes.
” Many [anciens animateurs] told us: “I love my job, but I haven’t traveled in two years,” explains Caroline Roy, head of leisure at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
Flexible hours, part-time, recruiting on TikTok, in CEGEPs, in stores… The city has tried everything.
She ended up hiring between 90 and 100 animators while hiring between 150 and 180 year after year.
“We will be hiring throughout the summer,” assures Ms. Roy.
From camp to camp to get there
Parents have to look after their children part-time or register their young people in several camps to compensate for the lack of space.
“I talk about it and start crying,” admits a mother of four from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
The lady, who preferred to remain anonymous so as not to jeopardize her job, was unable to find day camp for the whole summer for her three eldest children, aged 8 to 11.
She will therefore keep one eye on them for several weeks while teleworking.
“However, after two years of the pandemic, the cut is full of such irritants,” she sighs.
Puzzle
Léa Gaudreault, she has no virtual option.
She works in healthcare and her husband works in construction.
Photo agency QMI, Joël Lemay
“It seems to me that it should be an essential ministry,” she says impatiently.
So she started looking for private camps. Neither could accommodate their two children for the whole summer.
Ms. Gaudreault therefore enrolled them in three different private camps to cover the summer calendar: a soccer camp, a private camp in another city, and a vacation camp.
“But it’s always an adaptation for children,” she laments.
She still considers herself lucky.
“I was told, ‘Register now or there won’t be any more places. […] There are many parents who end up with nothing.” »
Salty bill
Also, it will cost him around $2,500 for the summer, more than $1,300 than city day camp has cost him in the past.
For a large family, this option is practically unthinkable.
“I don’t have the budget. Might as well do a summer sabbatical,” the mom-of-four quipped.
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