SUDBURY -- The Ontario government is allowing childcare centres in Ontario to reopen June 12, but some local owners and operators say three days is not enough time to prepare.

"Late last evening we also received guidelines from the Ministry of Education to help us work through what reopening would look like and this is a timeline that can't happen by Friday," said Tracy Saarikoski, executive director of Discovery Early Learning & Care.

Saarikoski said a lot of work has to be done to protect staff and children in light of COVID-19.

"We need to revisit what our environments look like, provide more space for social distancing, we need to remove any soft surfaces that can't be disinfected so our playrooms need to have a significant overhaul," she said.

While scrambling to get ready, operators say they are looking forward to opening their doors and seeing their clients again after being away from them for three months.

"Myself personally, I am excited," said Gwen Simpson, owner of Cedar Park Day Care. "I miss my kids. My working parents especially need daycare. It will be different to restart."

Simpson said she agrees with other operators that there is plenty of work ahead.

"Now that (Premier Doug) Ford said 'OK, go,' it's going to be a matter of us getting together with the city (and) ministry and deciding, OK, now we can go and move forward, these are the things we can put in place," said Simpson.

One of the new rules is limiting two staff members and eight children to one play room environment, which has many operators wondering how to make ends meet financially.

"This is expensive," said Saarikoski. "If we open, we are not supposed to increase parent fees, but having these extra staff with no revenue from children ... we can't rely on just federal money. The province needs to kick in."

Daycare officials say there is no set date yet when their facilities will open, but they will have a better idea within the next week or so.