QUEBEC - The 214 private daycares that stayed closed as part of a strike Wednesday will be hit with government fines totaling $500,802.

One third of Quebec’s 654 provincially-funded private daycares remained closed Wednesday in protest against Quebec-imposed budget cuts of $14.9 million, according to data made available Thursday by the Ministry of the Family,

These institutions will soon receive notices ordering them to pay $3,750, an amount that will be deducted from their subsidies.

The private daycares have said that they will challenge the fines and claim that they did not breach their contract.

The private daycares have also threatened another one-day strike on May 30 if the impasse continues with Quebec Minister Nicole Léger.

Quebec is threatening the daycares with fines of $4,375 if they take another day off and $5,000 per day, per daycare if they take a third day off.

-With a file from The Canadian Press