News that Keyano had plans to suspend the Early Learning and Child Care Diploma Program has caused some Wood Buffalo residents to protest. The protesters hope to pressure the administration of the school to keep the program up and running, and they worry that the planned program suspension will cause a shortage of qualified child care providers in the local area. According to Janet Huffman, who is the after school program coordinator for the Catholic School District, explained “It would be like if you had a car, you had a beautiful sports car and you need to have the engine redone on your sports car.. Are you going to give it to a mechanic who only has two years of his journeyman certificate? Or would you give it to that technician who has four years. Where would you feel safer?”

The suspension of the Keyano Early Learning and Child Care Diploma Program would not affect the one year program, but many of the resident protests make the argument that a one year option does not fully prepare individuals for child care and that there is far less preparation for this sector than what the longer program offers. According to Keyano academic vice president Catherine Koch “I think we have to review the curriculum and we will probably have some focus groups to see what potential applicants will be looking for in the way that the program has been delivered. I’m certainly hoping to bring it back by September of 2016.” One possibility is to offer the desired classes on a part time schedule instead of a full time option.