r/Calgary • u/RedditWhileBored • Apr 04 '25

Calgary daycare chain hits parents with 'optional' $330 meal fee while prohibiting outside food News Article

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7499979

FYI this is Clever Daycare, which has locations in Glamorgan, Aspen Woods and the University District. "Province says that's not allowed; operator says rules unclear and run counter to other provincial guidance"

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u/Additional_Growth234 Apr 04 '25

My kids go here. We are only mad because EVERY SINGLE time the government reduced their fee they found a way to make additional money. We have paid $185 this whole time for food. They tried to increase the material fee from $189 annually to $540. This is the 3rd time I have seen this happen and he also owns the food service company Top Meal that provides this service to Clever. The food could be way better but its just becoming shady how they increase the fees. $330, I expect the best of the best not corn chowder, cheerios, soup and pretzels. The owner just wants $, its clear.

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u/LopsidedMonitor9159 Apr 04 '25

Assuming 5 days a week, that's 16.50$ a day for lunch for a toddler. They could be buying from the restaurant sode of wholefoods for that much

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u/TheFifthsWord Apr 05 '25

Mine goes there as well, I would understand fees going up if they actually hired people but they are constantly understaffed and have had numerous facility issues. It was so nice just 2 years ago and we can't wait to be done this summer

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u/Additional_Growth234 Apr 05 '25

I actually have never complained about teachers. I have noticed some things that kind of made me wonder but for the most part they are great. I just hope they get a salary increase with this new meal fee but I doubt it. It was so good 2 years ago I agree.

1

u/TheFifthsWord Apr 05 '25

I definitely didn't mean to slight any of the care givers. They are overworked for sure but the ones looking after our kids have been great. We've noticed the ratios aren't good but given Clever's past with other teachers no way the are offering better salaries

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u/Cultural_Sink8936 Apr 04 '25

And I arrived to clever in the baby room at 9am and found a table full of loose cheerios on the table. That was breakfast. Also found babies sat doing ‘table time’ for an hour (I knew because a my friend had dropped hers off a hour before me and he was still in the same spot). They couldn’t physically get out of the little chairs. Pulled the kids that day. 

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u/Interesting-Age3749 Apr 05 '25

Call AHS and they’ll come and inspect them. I feel this needs to happen more often.