Early child-care workers are in short supply in Fort McMurray, more than eight months after a wildfire forced the entire population from their homes, says the chair of one local task force.

In November, the task force surveyed 57 day-care centres and found they have room to take 126 additional children, said Chantal Beaver, chair of the Wood Buffalo Social Recovery Task Force.

But those centres would have to hire another 18 early child-care workers, just to fill those vacant spots. And those workers just aren't available, Beaver said.

"What we were hearing is that staff weren't returning after the fire," she said. "They had found employment elsewhere."

The same survey found there are 522 children on a waiting list for child-care spaces.

Beaver said she's not sure how many extra staff would be needed to eliminate that waiting list.

Fort McMurray worked hard before the fire to improve early child care, she said.

"The YMCA of Northern Alberta has done a phenomenal job of placing child-care centres in our communities," Beaver said. "And to know they in particular have one centre that is not able to open, it's quite sad."

Beaver said the Alberta government needs to reopen and fund an early childhood education training program at Fort McMurray's Keyano College.

Teacher shortages

In the months since the wildfire, Fort McMurray's Catholic and public schools have seen a surge in the number of teacher absences. The boards also face a shortage of substitutes.

This January, the number of available substitute teachers was down 30 per cent in Catholic schools and about 40 per cent in public schools, compared to last year. In December, a lack of substitutes forced one primary school to close its doors when a stomach bug afflicted many of its 60 staff members.

The number of students at Fort McMurray public schools was down by 270 students, or about four per cent, as of Sept. 30. Attendance at Catholic schools dropped by 400 students, or about 6.5 per cent.

The wildfire in May 2016 prompted one of Canada's largest evacuations, when about 90,000 people were forced from their homes. The fire destroyed about 2,400 homes.