The Toronto Coalition for Better Child Care has done a pre-budget submission to the Province in support of child care funding to stabilize programs. Using data from the City of Toronto, the TCBCC highlights the critical importance of child care for Toronto residents.

The Toronto Coalition for Better Child Care is putting a big focus on the issue of child care centres paying rent to school boards. While we were successful in fighting cuts at the City of Toronto that would have eliminated a rent grant for child care programs in schools, it is clear that without a change, the issue will continue to come up. We have heard about many programs facing escalating and unaffordable rents in schools.

“Forty percent of Toronto’s licensed child care is co-located in schools. The City has an Occupancy Agreement with the school Boards to provide a rent grant that, in addition to keeping the costs of care down, also keep a lid on the rents charged. Base funding pressures are causing the City to reconsider the Agreement. Without the grant, rents are certain to rise, which will take a bigger bite from subsidies and cause hikes in parent fees. The TCBCC has been successful for several years in heading off the elimination of the rent grant. But that is likely temporary, and begs the question: why are parents and programs being charged rental fees for the education and care of their younger children in schools? These facilities are already paid for. What is needed is a provincial policy that contains and ends rent charges to child care programs in schools.”

Please Click here for TCBCC Pre-Budget Submission, February 2012.