Child Care Missing from Ontario Budget

TORONTO, May 2, 2013 /CNW/ - Child care advocates are frustrated and angry at the lack of child care funding in the 2013 provincial budget.

"There has never been a more important time to invest in child care. Investments in child care pay for themselves and can help boost Ontario's economy.

It is time to harness the power of high quality child care to transform our province" said Sheila Olan-MacLean, President, OCBCC.

According to TD Economics, investments in child care return $1.5 to $3 per dollar invested.

Last year, the Liberal/NDP budget deal provided one-time stabilization funding of $242 million through to 2015.

However, this funding was only 1/3 of the funding needed to stabilize our child care system.

"Unfortunately, child care has been historically funded by stop-gap, emergency, one-time funding measures. That's why child care services are a patchwork across the province and that's why Ontario parents pay the highest child care fees in Canada.

Today, the sector needs an investment of $300 million to reduce parent fees and raised wages to retain our qualified staff. The funding would be a down payment towards building a high quality, not-for-profit child care system with affordable fees for parents.

SOURCE: Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC)

Andrea Calver, Coordinator, OCBCC
Cell 416-434-8031 - Budget time at Queen's Park
Sheila Olan-MacLean, President, OCBCC
Office 705-749-3488 x 214