Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care

The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC) has launched a campaign to draw attention to the funding crisis facing community/municipal-based child care and the implications for children, families and communities. The campaign is calling on the government to take steps in the 2010 Budget to ensure there is sufficient funding to maintain existing levels of these child care services, as well as provide the funding and resources necessary to keep the child care system stable and sustainable and support the transition to an Early Learning Program (ELP).

At the root of the funding crisis is the anticipated loss of $63.5 million in annual provincial funding now provided to municipalities so they can deliver community/municipal child care services. The lump sum paid out in 2006 to Ontario following Harper's cancellation of the federal-provincial child care agreement was spread out by the McGuinty government over four years, but this money is now gone and there has been no commitment to replace it in the upcoming provincial budget.

Without this funding, municipalities will be forced to make cuts and it is expected that over 7500 subsidized child care spaces will disappear. The loss of these subsidies will have a major impact on the financial viability and future of all child care centres with potential closures that threaten hundreds of jobs and thousands of subsidized and full-fee spaces. Financial pressures have already been cited as the reason for the City of Windsor's decision to close its municipal centres despite strong public opposition, while other communities are dipping into reserves as a stopgap measure to preserve services for the upcoming year.

OSSTF/FEESO takes the challenges facing non-profit community/municipal child care seriously. We support the move to build a comprehensive early learning program (ELP) for all children 0-12 as set out in the Pascal Report but also recognize this will take time. Meanwhile, children, families, and communities will still need affordable, high quality, and not-for-profit child care in their communities.

We encourage member support by signing the petition and contacting their MPPs or representative to municipal government. Copies of the petition can be downloaded at the link below or from the OCBCC website at www.childcareontario.org and there is also a direct link to send an email message to the Premier. Background information highlighting the key issues is posted on the site and includes an analysis of the direct and indirect economic impact that the loss of subsidized child care spaces will have.  Also there is an information flyer with links in the attachments below.