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

“Daycare parents are angry about the loss of hot lunches, inadequate noon-hour supervision and the revolving door of staff their children will have to deal with during the day. They also worry they may be left with no care for their children during the summer if some kids drop out and the program has to fold.”

“Daycares outside Toronto are under pressure due to chronic under-funding and the loss of 4- and 5- year-olds to full day kindergarten, said Andrea Calver, of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. » Continue reading “Toronto Star: Front Page Story: School-based centres facing troubles with full-day kindergarten, parents are concerned!”

On June 6, the OCBCC made a presentation to the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill 55 – the Budget bill.

The bill, with $242 million in new provincial funding to stabilize child care programs, will go for a final vote on June 25, and then the legislature will break for the summer

» Continue reading “OCBCC at Queen’s Park on the Budget Bill”

After significant agreements were made between Ontario’s Liberal government and the Ontario NDP, the provincial budget passed with a vote of 52-37. The New Democrats abstained from voting, and the Conservatives voted against the budget.

The revised budget addressed the NDP’s suggestions by adopting a new 2% tax increase for $500,000+ income earners, new stabilization funding to protect child care spaces, and support for ODSP and OW. » Continue reading “Ontario Budget Passes – Child care funding secured”

Friday April 20th 2012 – Premier Dalton McGuinty made  a statement with regards to child care funding. This comes after significant pressure from Ontario’s NDP that the government address the child care crisis in this year’s budget. » Continue reading “McGuinty steps up for Ontario Kids – Announces new child care funding”

Toronto, Apr 3 2012 – Parents and child care advocates were shocked and disappointed that the recent provincial budget did not provide any funding to stabilize Ontario’s child care programs. As a result of chronic underfunding and lack of funding for proper implementation of the full-day kindergarten program, child care advocates have warned that Ontario’s fragile system of early learning and child care faces collapse.   » Continue reading “Ontario NDP Prioritizes Saving Child Care Spaces in Budget Proposals”

www.childcarenow.ca is a new website focusing on the amazing work of Ontario’s child care centres and the challenges of underfunding, rising fees, stagnant wages and lack of capital funding.

The site puts a face on the child care crisis and shows what is at stake in Ontario.

To read the press release, Without Funding in the Provincial Budget, Hundreds of Child Care Centre will Close.

To read the story in the Toronto Star, please click here.

The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care has fully supported the Ontario government’s vision of a system of early learning for all children from infants to 12 years old as laid out in the report “With Our Best Future in Mind”.

The Government picked just one piece to implement – full-day kindergarten for 4 and 5 year olds. This decision has placed significant financial pressure on child care centres, as caring for younger children is more expensive and funding was not provided to assist centres in the transition to caring for younger children. » Continue reading “Response to Drummond Report: Investing in our future is good for Ontario”

“A York University PhD student has been denied a child care subsidy by the Region of Peel, who claim that the subsidy only applies to full-time students up to the level of a Masters. Reem Attieh, mother of two young children, has been paying $2,115 a month in child care fees and has been on the Region of Peel Region child care subsidy waiting list since August 2010″

To read the full press release, click here.

To read the letter that the OCBCC has sent to the Minister of Education Laurel Broten, click here.

Media Release                                              January 27, 2012

Peel councillors made the right choice

12 child care centres to stay open –for now

» Continue reading “OCBCC Press Release: Peel councillors made the right choice”