April 22, 2014: The Liberal government just announced that their 2014 budget will include an additional $269 million dollars to increase the wages of licensed child care staff by $2/hour over the next two years. 42,000 child care staff stand to benefit from the wage increase. The OCBCC strongly supports this move to recognize the valued work of child care staff.
Media:
April 23, 2014 - CBC TV: Ontario Child Benefit increases to be tied
Video of Minister's announcement and OCBCC Coordinator Andrea Calver
April 23, 2014- Guelph Mercury: Ontario Liberals vow to index child benefit and boost daycare worker wages
"Andrea Calver of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. "But it definitely strengthens the system and it says to those hard-working staff (their) work is valued."
Under pay equity, which the government says is in addition to the proposed wage hike, child care staff should be making between $24 and $30 an hour, Calver added"
April 22, 2014- Ministry of Education News Release: Ontario Giving Kids the Best Possible Start: Province Increasing Ontario Child Benefit, Improving the Quality of Child Care
April 22, 2014- Toronto Star: Ontario Liberals vow to index child benefit and boost daycare wages
"Child care advocates said a wage increase is “long overdue.”
“This announcement in itself, doesn’t make child care more affordable or more available,” said Andrea Calver of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. “But it definitely strengthens the system and it says to those hard-working staff (their) work is valued.”
Provincial Budget includes $2/hour wage increase for all licensed child care staff
The Liberal government just announced that their 2014 budget will include an additional $269 million dollars to increase the wages of licensed child care staff by $2/hour over the next two years. This proposal will be part of the 2014 budget which will be announced on May 1st.
As a minority government, the Liberals need the support of another party in order for this budget to pass. If the budget does not pass, we can expect a provincial election, likely in June.
A June election would mean the Liberal's proposed wage increase would be up to a new government to re-introduce and the proposed Child Care Modernization Act would not pass. The Liberal government's proposed wage increases for child care staff is an important step for the child care sector, and in a year of four deaths in unlicensed child care, the proposed Act is an important step towards improve safety and quality of care. We hope the parties can work together to pass the budget and make these promises a reality.
The new funding depends on the passage of the 2014 provincial budget. The breakdown of the funding would be as follows:
$19M in 2014-15
$96M in 2015-16
$154M in 2016-17
Based on a 35 hour work week, this increase would result in an pay increase of $1820.00 in the first year, and $3640.00 in the second year. At the median current wage of $16.21, that represents a significant 12.3% raise, which would bring the median annual salary up to $33,142.00 from the current $29,502.00.
Important facts to consider
Overall, there are about 42,000 program staff in licensed child care settings in Ontario that are eligible for a wage enhancement. This includes approximately:
17,000 Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) in licensed child care centres;
5,000 staff with key leadership roles, most of whom are also RECEs;
10,000 program staff that work directly with children in licensed child care centres; and
10,000 other program staff that either work in licensed child care settings located in First Nation communities or work within or in homes contracted with private home day care agencies (PHDC).
The Wage Enhancement Grant is for staff working in the licensed child care sector and does not include OEYC's and family resource programs.