Childcarepolicy.net

The second theme in today’s publication by IRPP (see earlier blog post for the first) is what needs to happen now to make sure that $10 a day child care works out for families and children. There’s a tsunami of additional demand for child care on the horizon as child care fees plummet and we’re not ready for it. Many provinces have not placed much emphasis on expansion of not-for-profit child care spaces and haven’t provided the funding or tools necessary to make it happen. In today’s publication, which is available here… IN ENGLISH:  https://irpp.org/research-studies/early-learning-and-child-care-in-canada/  IN FRENCH:  https://irpp.org/fr/research-studies/apprentissage-et-garde-des-jeunes-enfants-au-canada/ … I …

Continue reading “FOUR URGENT STEPS TO BETTER CHILD CARE HEALTH”

How should we judge whether the new Ontario child care agreement with the federal government is a good one?  There are many things to look for; I’ve written about this before.  Yet, if I boil it down, the key concern is how quickly Ontario is able and willing to expand services – moving towards a quality universal system of child care for preschool children.  There are two issues here.  First, does Ontario have an ambitious plan to expand not-for-profit licensed capacity?  We know that Ontario will eventually need between 200,000 and 300,000 additional child care spaces.  We also know that …

Continue reading “What Should We Look for in Ontario’s Child Care Agreement?”

I like Armine Yalnizyan.  Usually, I agree with her.  But I don’t appreciate her recent sympathy for Doug Ford (https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2022/01/25/doug-ford-is-the-only-premier-who-has-yet-to-sign-ottawas-10-a-day-child-care-deal-hes-right-to-push-back.html ).  She sympathizes with Doug Ford’s reluctance to sign an agreement with the federal government to get billions of dollars per year to make licensed child care more affordable and more accessible for Ontario families.  She agrees with Doug Ford that there is not enough money in the pot to lower fees on existing child care spaces AND expand child care capacity. But she’s wrong.  There is enough money on the table to take giant steps towards making child care …

Continue reading “ARMINE IS WRONG ABOUT DOUG FORD”

In order to access the child care money announced in the 2021 Federal Budget, Ontario has to devise a credible, implementable 5-year plan to make licensed child care affordable, accessible and of high-quality.  It’s a lot of money.  I estimate that Ontario could receive about $1.16 Billion of new federal child care money in 2021-22.  And more money on top for Indigenous child care.  That would mean an increase of 50% in the amount of spending by the Ontario Government on early years and child care (which is now about $2.3 Billion). The federal child care money for Ontario would …

Continue reading “WHAT SHOULD THE ONTARIO CHILD CARE PLAN INCLUDE?”

I participated recently in the webinar at which you spoke, sponsored by the Toronto Star, First Policy Response, the Lawson Foundation and others.  The topic was “Delivering on the Commitment: A Canada-Wide Childcare Plan”.    I often disagree with your policy positions in relation to child care, but I think it is important in any debate that we can agree on facts before opinion takes over.  So, if you will permit me, let me correct a couple of things that you said at that webinar.  First, the Government of Ontario did not get rid of the Child Care Expense Deduction in Ontario.  It still …

Continue reading “An Open Letter to Ken Boessenkool about the Child Care Expense Deduction (and other things)”