Frustrations build over multiple snow days for Vancouver Island students

What is fun for the kids isn’t always fun for their parents.

For the third straight day students in the Capital Regional District have been home on a snow day and that has left parents panicking for child care.

The reason why the schools were closed for three days is the school districts in the Victoria-area, including Schools Districts 61 and 62, determined it was not safe to get all children to school.

“We want to get kids back into schools but we want to make sure everyone is safe in doing that,” School District 62 Superintendent Scott Stinson said. “It’s really a determination about how safe it is to get kids onto buses and along the roads and into our schools.”

Education Minister Rob Fleming says some municipalities opened up recreational centres to help parents who couldn’t find a place for their kids. The provincial government has no power to keep schools open during bad weather and says any complaints from parents should be directed to the district.

WATCH: Vancouver Island copes with snow

2:01 Vancouver Island copes with snow

“It’s the school districts’ call. If they feel there is a risk to student safety by having a mandatory school day they have to make that call based on the ability of their staff and students to get to school safely. Hopefully this is the last snow day,” Fleming said.

“I know teachers have strategies to make up for lost time. This is exceedingly rare event in British Columbia.”

What is adding to the angst for parents is a Professional Development Day is coming up on Friday and Family Day is on Monday. The province does not plan on ordering districts to cancel the Pro-D day nor does it plan on advising the districts to tack on extra days.

Daycare provider Meagan Brame says she has heard from a lot of parents over the frustration of finding out about closures with only a few hours to find a place for their kids.

“It gets really tough. They’re like, we can only take so much time off and I get that, and my staff can only get not paid only so many days as well,” Brame said. “It’s strictly becoming just a cost for everybody, including operators.”