Written By David Gomez, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
AILSA CRAIG - A prolonged dispute at Craigwood Youth Services in Ailsa Craig has escalated, with workers and union representatives highlighting deep concerns about low wages, inadequate safety equipment, and mismanagement. The fallout has left the facility empty of youth inmates and struggling to maintain operations.
Front-line workers represented by OPSEU/SEFPO Local 166 have voiced frustrations over stagnant wages and increasing responsibilities. Jonathan Guider, a member of the local union and a worker at the Ailsa Craig facility for 24 years, described the disparity between transfer-payment facilities like Craigwood and their counterparts operated directly by the ministry. “We do the exact jobs, except at Craigwood, I have to wear many more hats,” Guider said. He explained that workers juggle tasks such as cooking, cleaning, medication management, and counselling—all for a starting wage of approximately $19 an hour. In comparison, according to Guider, employees at direct-operated facilities earn upwards of $43 an hour with superior benefits and safety standards.
The discrepancy in compensation and conditions has led to high staff turnover, burnout, and difficulties in recruitment. “The job comes with shift work on weekends, often stressful, violence, lots of responsibility,” Guider noted. “And yet, our wages remain significantly lower.”
According to a recent CBC article, the facility’s struggles intensified when its last three youth residents were transferred to another detention centre in Sault Ste. Marie. While Craigwood’s Interim Executive Director, Claudia den Boer, emphasized the need to “maintain the privacy of the individuals impacted,” she confirmed that the decision to halt intakes was tied to staffing shortages. “We wanted to make sure that we had sufficient staff to keep our youth and our staff safe,” she said, adding that the organization continues to work with the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) to address the issue.
Den Boer acknowledged the union’s concerns about compensation but pointed to limited funding as a barrier. “We are currently not in a position where our funding allows us to support the number of beds the ministry would like us to support,” she said. “We continue to advocate for additional funding that would allow us to bargain with our OPSEU local.” However, she maintained that Craigwood Youth Services has worked “extremely diligently to ensure that staff have what they need to provide a safe service.”
The broader context of Ontario’s youth justice system compounds the situation. Since 2021, the province has closed 31 youth justice facilities, including 26 in a single day. This systemic reduction has strained the remaining centres, creating ripple effects for staff and youth alike. The 2016 report Because Young People Matter, commissioned by the province, highlighted the need for consistent standards across facilities. Yet, union leaders argue that its recommendations have gone largely unaddressed.
The MCCSS convened a Youth Justice Task Force this year to examine these challenges, with findings expected in December. However, Guider expressed skepticism about the pace of change. “The ministry is directing us to go to our employer and negotiate improvements, and my employer is saying they don’t have the money,” he said. “Workers are stuck somewhere in the middle.”
Craigwood’s board of directors is set to meet with union leaders on November 27, the day after this article goes to press. Meanwhile, OPSEU/SEFPO plans to deliver a petition, led by London North Centre MPP Terence Kernaghan, to Queen’s Park on the same day. Kernaghan, who attended the recent information picket in London, has pledged his support. “The work we do is very important,” Guider emphasized. “To fix this problem, we just need respect and fairness.”
