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Members of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care met with Ministry of Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews today.

The meeting focused on the biggest issue facing child care in Ontario - the registration of 123 Busy Beavers, a for-profit child care company linked to ABC Learning Centres, the world's largest commerical child care corporation.

It's an urgent situation because we know companies can move fast - 123 Busy Beavers have purchased centres in other parts of Canada and could buy centres in Ontario at any time.

In Australia, quality, accessibility and affordability of child care is worse now that the country is dominated by child care corporations. Parent fees are up dramatically, governments pay more and companies face complaints that they put profits above health and safety, and the treatment of child care workers and Early Childhood Educators.

We called on the Minister to immediately put a moratorium on new licensing for commercial child care operators while working towards changing the legislation to permit child care licenses to not-for-profit, public and First Nations child care operators.

More on this developing story soon!