Ontario needs our non-profit and public childcare sectors to be stable, thriving and expanding

BY PAUL JUNOR

There was hope and optimistic expectations when the federal government announced that childcare would be subsidized at $10 per day. The finalization of the deal between Ottawa and Ontario was supposed to usher in better options for parents. Ottawa will contribute $650 million over five years, while Ontario will spend $40 million above current funding.

The daycare expense is projected to be reduced to $10 per day during the five-year interval. However, organizations such as: West Toronto, Etobicoke Families, educators and local leaders have shared their experiences about the impact of insufficient childcare funding and are demanding changes to Ontario’s early learning plan and childcare system. They have come together and launched an e-petition to advocate for immediate changes to address what they see as a crisis.

An informational brochure has been prepared that highlights four specific reasons why Ontario’s system is broken. They are:

• Parents are joining long waitlists with no guarantee of a spot.
• Inadequate childcare centre funding means many are in deficit.
• Staff shortages due to poor pay and benefits for ECE workers.
• Too many Ontario neighbourhoods remain “childcare deserts” without their fair share of centres, affordable licensed spaces and fee subsidies.

The brochure notes, “Building a better city, a fairer city means equitable access to high-quality, publicly funded, not-for-profit childcare.” Despite years of efforts, many Toronto ridings remain underserved and thousands of Toronto families are shut out. We’ve seen progress with the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) and Canada-Ontario agreement, but many serious challenges remain.

The brochure posed an important question which is, “What can YOU or your childcare centre do to press for the change we need?” Things to do:

Gather stories about why childcare is important to you and your families-stories to share with decision-makers?

• Is there enough non-profit childcare available in your area?
• Can you find the childcare that meets your child’s needs or family work schedule?

Share your “true cost” budget and demonstrate what high-quality childcare costs?

• What funding would you need to give staff the wages/benefits that reflect the city’s pay schedule?
• Without adequate funding for the next year, what will happen at your centre?

Call your Provincial MPP and Federal MP and City Councilor.

• Ask what they will do to save and expand non-profit care in Toronto.
• Ask for a meeting and ask for answers!

There are four changes that: non-profit childcare programs, early childhood staff, advocates and parents would like the Province of Ontario, and the Government of Canada to make to the CWELCC to re-energize Ontario Action Plan. These four changes include:

• Provide adequate operating funding to bring wages and benefits for all childcare staff up to the City of Toronto wage schedule, and cover the actual cost of rent/occupancy, food and other program costs for 2024 and beyond.
• Provide major capital funding, that reflects actual construction costs, to expand non-profit and public childcare in underserved areas like Toronto and build the 3,100 promised spaces in Toronto schools.
• Introduce a new provincial formula for adequate, sustained funding that recognizes actual operating costs of childcare in Toronto.
• Increase fee subsidies to help lower income families access.

The petition concludes, “Without immediate funding increases and policy changes the promise of a high-quality, accessible, system of childcare for all will never become a reality. The childcare sector needs to survive, thrive and grow if the vision of our new national childcare plan is to succeed.”

This crisis directly impacts educators, parents and providers and the e-petition calls for support from all. It states, “We are asking you to stand with ECEs, child care workers, families and children by sending a message to your: MP, MPP, Premier Doug Ford, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Federal Minister of Children, Families and Social Development Jenna Sudds telling them to work together to ensure that the early learning and child care workforce have decent work and pay ,and that the non-profit and public childcare sectors are stable, thriving and expanding.”