Municipal Offices Closed for Family Day 2026

Municipal Offices will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026 for Family Day and reopen on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

We encourage you to join us at the Walkerton Community Centre (290 Durham St. W) to celebrate Family Day on Monday, February 16th, featuring: 

  • 9:00am-11:00am - Grab N’ Go Breakfast by donation
  • 9:00am - Figure Skating Showcase
  • 9:00am- 12:00pm - Indoor Activities, Sleigh Rides, Outdoor Activities
  • 9:30am-11:30am - Live Coffee House Music
  • 10:00am-11:30am - Free Public Skate Party
  • 12:00pm - Battle of the Badges (Walkerton Fire vs. South Bruce O.P.P.)
View our Family Day webpage

Serious Occurrence Information

What Is a Serious Occurrence in Licensed Child Care?

In Ontario, licensed child care programs follow the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA) and all Ministry of Education guidelines to make sure every child is safe, supported, and thriving. As part of this commitment, every licensed program has a Serious Occurrence Policy—a set of clear steps we follow whenever something unusual happens that could affect the health, safety, or well‑being of a child.

A serious occurrence sounds like a strong term, but its purpose is actually supportive. It helps ensure that we respond quickly, communicate appropriately, and continue to offer the highest standard of care. It also provides the Ministry of Education with information to help programs improve and keep children safe.

What Counts as a Serious Occurrence?

Under Ontario Regulation 137/15, serious occurrences include situations such as:

  • The death of a child receiving care.
  • Abuse, neglect, or an allegation of abuse or neglect while a child is in care.
  • A life‑threatening injury or illness of a child receiving care.
  • A child who goes missing or is temporarily unsupervised.
  • An unplanned disruption to the centre's normal operations that poses a risk to children (e.g., a flood, power outage, or other emergency).

These definitions come directly from provincial legislation and are used by all licensed child care programs across Ontario.

Reporting serious occurrences is a licensing requirement and part of our responsibility as a professional, Ministry‑regulated child care program. It ensures:

  • Transparency with families about safety and program operations.
  • Immediate response and follow‑up when an unusual event happens.
  • Collaboration with the Ministry of Education, which reviews reports and provides guidance when needed.

All serious occurrences are reported through the Child Care Licensing System (CCLS), the province’s secure online reporting system.

Most days in child care are happy, safe, and predictable—and serious occurrences are very rare. But when something does happen, you can feel confident knowing:

  • We have clear, practiced procedures.
  • We respond with care, professionalism, and transparency.
  • We follow all CCEYA and Child Care Licensing Manual requirements.
  • The goal is always to learn, improve, and support the well‑being of every child and family.

Our serious occurrence policy is not about blame or punishment—it is about maintaining the highest standard of care, continually improving our practices, and keeping families informed. By following all CCEYA and CCLS guidelines, we are accountable, prepared, and aligned with provincial expectations that protect children and support high-quality child care.

Contact Us

Municipality of Brockton
100 Scott Street, P.O. Box 68, 
Walkerton, Ontario N0G 2V0, Canada

Phone: 519-881-2223,
Toll Free: 1-877-885-8084,
Fax: 519-881-2991

Email the Municipality

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