Childcarepolicy.net

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)”

Andrew Coyne knows very little about child care, but feels free to pontificate about it.  It’s a shame, because some people still listen to him and believe he has done his homework.  He hasn’t.  And so, he concludes that the federal government should help parents, especially low-income ones, by giving them a direct subsidy – money.  There are more than a few problems with his opinion piece in the Globe and Mail.  Apparently, Andrew doesn’t realize that we already have a direct payment to parents, similar to the one he is calling for and geared to income, called the Canada …

Continue reading “Why Andrew Coyne is Wrong About Child Care Funding”

I believe we need a child care system across Canada that is as dependable, beneficial for children and accessible as the public school system and nearly as affordable.  I think that is what the Finance Minister promised in the Fall Economic Statement when she said that “Quebec can show us the way on child care.” Ken Boessenkool and Jennifer Robson offer a different perspective on how to build a child care system in a C.D. Howe Commentary entitled “Aggressive Incrementalism: Strengthening the Foundations of Canada’s Approach to Childcare”. They argue for an incremental approach – “building on what exists”.   This …

Continue reading “Another Poorly Conceived Child Care Proposal from C.D. Howe”

Great News for Supporters of a National Child Care System Cardus must really be kicking themselves.  Cardus is a Christian research and advocacy organization that spent a lot of money on that recent Angus Reid poll on attitudes to a national child care program.  I’m sure they expected to hear a lot of support for their view that governments should just give money to parents with children.  Cardus opposes building a child care system that is universally available to families.  And they believe that Canadian families support their point of view. Imagine their surprise then when Angus Reid found that …

Continue reading “The new Angus Reid poll on child care”