There are way too families in Canada that lack access to affordable, inclusive and high-quality child care. This is an economic issue as much as it is a social one. Without access to child care, parents – especially women – cannot fully participate in the economy and the global COVID-19 pandemic has brought these issues to the forefront. Lowering daycare fees would certainly help so many families who have stretched their budgets to afford these astronomical child care fees . These fees run nearly as high as rent or mortgage payments in some cities across the country. These high costs often affect Canadian’s decisions NOT to work, as having to pay for child care is cost prohibitive. Women are often affected by this most, with the decision to become a stay-at-home mothers to avoid the costs of child care directly contributing to the gender wage gap that exists in Canada. Lowering fees can create new opportunities for many Canadian families and allow parents, particularly mothers, to get back to work or increase the participation of women into the workforce . This too can make life more affordable for Canadian families. It will create new jobs and grow the middle class, and also drive a strong economic growth across Canada
THE CASE FOR WHY ONTARIO URGENTLY NEEDS $10/DAY CHILD CARE
Grocery bills have risen 4.4% since June 2021
Gas 9.2% since June 2021*
Average rent in our province is now over $2,100 for 1,000 sq.ft**. of living space - a 3 bedroom apartment.
Child care costs approximately 22% of a couple's net family income or a staggering 33% of a single parent's income***.
Investing and establishing a Canada-wide early learning and child care system that's affordable, $10-a-day child care is VITAL.
Right now, the federal government is working with provinces to make this a reality across the country. So then, why is it that the Ford government continues to drag their feet on making a deal? Almost every province in the country has now worked out a deal with the federal government – but not Ontario.
Let's call on the Ford government to act immediately to get a deal done.
This is long overdue – and it has to happen now.
If you’d like to lend your voice to this cause,
you can add your name to the petition
that calls on the Ford government to act now and get a deal done.
“Without child care, Canadian parents can’t work. Today’s announcement is as much about meeting their needs as it is about setting our children up for success for generations to come. Investing in early child learning and establishing Canada-wide child care will make life more affordable for families, create jobs, strengthen our economy, get women back into the workforce, and grow the middle class. We will get it done.
Justin Trudeau,
Prime Minister of Canada
ROADMAP TO RECOVERY
Quick Facts
Throughout the pandemic, women’s participation in the workforce has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and public health restrictions, in part because they are the main providers of family care, including home schooling and caring for family members.
COVID-19 has also had a particular impact on the labour force participation of racialized women with young children. For example, under 76 per cent of Black mothers with a child younger than six were active in the labour market in January 2021, compared to over 81 per cent of mothers who did not identify as visible minorities.
Investments in child care will benefit all Canadians. Studies show that for every dollar invested in early childhood education, the broader economy receives between $1.50 and $2.80 in return.
As part of $30 billion in funding, and building on Canada’s Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care framework co-developed in 2018, Budget 2021 proposes to invest up to $2.5 billion over the next five years:
$1.4 billion over five years, starting in 2021-22, to create up to 3,300 new high-quality early learning and child care spaces for Indigenous families
$515 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support before- and after-school care for First Nations children on reserve
$264 million over four years, starting in 2022-23, to repair and renovate existing Indigenous early-learning and child care centres
$420 million over three years, starting in 2023-24, to build and maintain new early-learning and child care centres in additional communities.
Budget 2021 also builds on the approximately 40,000 new spaces already created through previous federal investments.
To make immediate progress for children with disabilities, Budget 2021 proposes to provide $29.2 million over two years, starting in 2021-22, to Employment and Social Development Canada through the Enabling Accessibility Fund to support child care centres as they improve their physical accessibility.
Combined with previous investments announced since 2015, a minimum of $9.2 billion per year ongoing will be invested in child care, including Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care, starting in 2025-26.
To better support Canadian communities and families, especially those most in need, Budgets 2016 and 2017 provided federal investments totalling $7.5 billion over 11 years to support and create more high-quality, affordable child care across the country.
As part of the Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada reconfirmed its commitment to create a Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system, beginning with a federal secretariat to support this work, new investments to support early childhood educators and making the early learning and child care investments announced in Budgets 2016 and 2017 permanent, and additional investments for Indigenous early learning and child care.
In 2016, the Government of Canada introduced the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), a simpler, tax-free, and more generous child benefit better targeted to those who need it most. The CCB is a monthly payment made to eligible families to help with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age.