Over the past several years, 6 children have died in unlicensed child care in Ontario:
- July 2010, 2 year old Jérémie Audette
- January 2011, 14 month old Duy-An Nguyen
- July 2013, 2 year old Allison Tucker and 2 year old Eva Ravikovich
- November 2013, 9 month old Aspen Juliet Moore
- February 2014, 4 month old baby, unidentified
1. Media Update: February 2014 infant death in unlicensed Child Care
A baby boy died on February 14th 2014 while being cared for at an unlicensed home daycare in the northwest corner of the city, police and provincial government officials say. The cause of death is currently under investigation. This is the fourth child to die in unlicensed child care in the GTA over the past nine months.
If you have the chance, listen to this six minute radio interview with OCBCC Coordinator Andrea Calver on CBC's MetroMorning, Toronto's most listened to morning program.
Feb 27 2014 - CBC MetroMorning
Media Stories: * indicates OCBCC interview
*Mar 3 2014 - Globe & Mail Opinion Nightmare? I want a daycare on Elm Street
Mar 2 2014 -Globe & Mail Editorial Regulate unlicensed daycares, but keep a light touch
Feb 28 2014: Home Child Care Association of Ontario calls for all home child care to be licensed in Ontario
*Feb 28 2014-Toronto Star: No one is tracking unregulated daycare deaths in Ontario
*Feb 27 2014-CBC News: Four-month-old boy died in unlicensed daycare
*Feb 27 2014- CTV News: Toronto police investigating death of baby at unlicensed daycare
*Feb 27 2014-The Huffington Post: Four-Month-Old Boy Died In Unlicensed Daycare
Feb 27 2014- Hamilton Spec: Baby found dead in unlicensed Toronto daycare
Feb 27 2014- Global News: Police investigate death of baby at unlicensed Toronto daycare
Feb 27 2014- CP24: Baby boy dies at unlicensed home daycare: report
*Feb 27 2014-CBC News: Four-month-old boy died in unlicensed daycare
Feb 26 2014- Toronto Star: Baby found dead in unlicensed daycare
2. Vaughan unlicensed child care tragedy
Two year old Eva Ravikovich died in an unlicensed child care in on July 8. There were allegedly 27 children in the Vaughan home daycare at the time of Eva’s death. A Freedom of Information Request submitted by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care stated that public health inspectors found listeria in the unlicensed facility. The cause of death has not been released.
Click here for an archive of articles related to the Vaughan unlicensed child care tragedy
3. Unlicensed child care incidents across Canada
Click here for an archive of media stories related to unlicensed child care incidents across Canada over the last few years
One way the OCBCC made a difference was by releasing a Freedom of Information Request from York Public Health regarding the death in Vaughan. The information was truly frightening.
- To read the full York Public Health Report click here.
- MPP and NDP Children and Youth Services critic Monique Taylor - Question to Minister of Education in Legislature:
Sep 23, 2013 - NDP Question in legislature - to Ministry of Education - Toronto Star: Sep 23, 2013 - Ontario slammed for poor oversight of unlicensed daycares
- Toronto Star: Sep 20, 2013 - Ontario seeking more power over unregulated daycare
- Global News: Sep 20, 2013 - Listeria and poor sanitation discovered at Ontario daycare where toddler died
- The Huffington Post: Sep 20, 2013 - Diapers, dogs, listeria found at daycare where tot died: public health report
- Letters and Ministry of Education Response - Child found dead in illegal child care home in Vaughan
Stories tracking unlicensed child care