Parents and educators are teaming up at child care centres across Ontario for a Day of Action to leaflet and collect petitions against the Ford government’s child care cuts, including in Premier Doug Ford’s riding of Etobicoke North.

As new City of Toronto figures show that Ford’s riding will be one of the worst hit by the child care funding cuts – with 455 child care subsidies at risk in Ford’s home riding alone - child care supporters will be at Etobicoke’s Willowridge Early Learning and Child Care Centre to talk to families and community members about the impact of the province’s child care cuts.

Child care is facing millions in funding cuts this year from the Ontario government, as well as policy changes, which put thousands of child care subsidies in jeopardy and child care programs at risk of closure. Operational funding is being cut by over $80 million and capital funding has been cut by over $90 million.

“These senseless cuts put important services for children and families at risk. We’re going to be talking to the community about the impacts that these cuts will have right here in Etobicoke and in communities across Ontario.” said Carolyn Ferns, Policy Coordinator for the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.

The Etobicoke event is one of over dozens of events across Ontario, from big cities like Toronto and Ottawa to small towns like Lindsay, Garson and Hornpayne.

In Ottawa, which faces at least $2 million in child care cuts this year, 5 child care programs are taking part in the day of action to speak out about the impact to programs. “These cuts will make it harder for families to access the care that they need and will make child care more expensive for everybody, right across Ontario.” said Christie Saikaly of Cornerstone Children’s Centre in Ottawa.

In Waterloo, Owl Child Care, which operates eight local child care programs, has been sounding the alarm about funding cuts, estimated at $9 million over 4 years by the Region of Waterloo, “Child care needs more investment, not less.” said Owl Executive Director Lori Prospero.

“We are calling on the Ford government to pause, listen to the community, and reinstate vital child care funding.” said Ferns.

Toronto riding-by-riding child care cuts: http://www.childcareontario.org/impacts_of_child_care_cuts_by_city_of_toronto_riding

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