FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2006
McGuinty government
slashes provincial park staffing by 19 per cent
TORONTO – The McGuinty
government is slashing summer staff in Ontario’s provincial
parks by 19 per cent, the Ontario Public Service Employees
Union has learned.
In its most recent meeting with
the union, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) revealed
sweeping cuts to seasonal and student jobs in parks all over
Ontario. These are the cuts:
· 293.5 seasonal contracts will
begin later than they did last year; · 319 seasonal contracts
will end earlier than they did last year; · 61 seasonal
contracts will see their working hours reduced from 40 hours
per week to 36.25; · 47 vacant seasonal positions will not be
filled; · 82 regular full-time student positions will not be
filled; and · 10 seasonal positions will be abolished.
“Our very conservative
calculation is that the MNR is wiping out the equivalent of
226 full-time summer jobs, out of a total of 1,189 seasonal
and regular student workers,” said OPSEU president Leah
Casselman. “It’s atrocious. We thought cuts of this magnitude
were gone with Mike Harris.”
The cuts will affect service in
every area of the parks. Educational and park interpretive
staff are being cut back. Park wardens are being cut back.
Park stores are closing or having their hours of operation
reduced. Some parks will shut their gates earlier at the end
of the summer.
“These cuts compromise nature
education, park safety, recreational opportunities, and
convenience for all park users,” Casselman said. “In addition,
park users who expect clean bathrooms, frequent garbage
pick-up, well-maintained trails, and easy access to
information may be disappointed this summer.”
“These cuts are unnecessary,
unwise, and unacceptable,” Casselman said. “The tiny
investment it takes to keep our parks running is repaid
several times over through the many social, economic, and
environmental benefits our parks provide. We intend to enlist
the aid of all Ontarians to see that these cuts are reversed
immediately.”
The MNR document detailing the
cuts is at
http://www.opseu.org/ops/ministry/Parkscuts2.pdf
.
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For information:
Randy Robinson (416)
448-7441; (416) 788-9134
