Minister Gould visits child care centre in Toronto to discuss fee reductions for licensed child care in Ontario

TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2022 /CNW/ - Canadians know that access to affordable, high‑quality, flexible, and inclusive child care is vital for parents, families, and the economy. That is why the Government of Canada has laid out a plan to provide parents living in Canada with, on average, $10‑a‑day child care for children under six years old. This plan will make life more affordable for families, create new jobs, get parents—especially women—back into the workforce, and grow the middle class, while giving every child a real and fair chance at success.

Today, the Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, visited the child care centre at St. Stephen's Community House in Toronto, Ontario, to speak with parents and Early Childhood Educators about the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System.

Parents with children under the age of six attending child care services that opt-in to the Early Learning and Child Care system will see their child care fees reduced by an average of 25 percent retroactive to April 1, 2022, saving families an average of about $2,200 per child.

The Minister highlighted that these fee reductions will be available to parents across the province whose child care providers opt into the Canada-wide system. By the end of December 2022, fees for licensed child care for children under six will be further reduced, resulting in a total reduction of an average of 50%, which could save Ontario families about $6,000 per child each year.

The time for a Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System is now. The Government of Canada continues to work with provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners across the country to ensure that all families have access to affordable, high‑quality, flexible, and inclusive early learning and child care, no matter where they live.

Quotes

"The Canada-Ontario Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement puts families first, and will ensure every child has access to high-quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive child care. These critical investments will also support ongoing recruitment and retention for early childhood educators, who are the backbone of our child care system. The Government of Canada remains focused on making life more affordable for families, and giving every child the best possible start in life."
– Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould

"The Neighbourhood Group Community Services is honoured to host the Honourable Minister Gould today at our Child Care site. We are very excited to participate in the National Child Care plan and bring the fees for parents down to an affordable level. The decreased fees will ease the financial burden on families and allow them to go back to school and/ or find employment while having their child(ren) in affordable, quality care." 
– Lidia Monaco, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Integration, The Neighbourhood Group

Quick Facts

• As part of Budget 2021, the Government of Canada made a transformative investment of over $27 billion over five years to build a Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System with provinces and territories. Combined with other investments, including in Indigenous early learning and child care, up to $30 billion over five years will be provided in support of early learning and child care.
• Ontario signed on to the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care System in March 2022. Under the Canada-wide agreement, the federal government will provide $10.2 billion over five years to Ontario.
• Prior to signing the Canada-wide agreement with Ontario, the Government of Canada had already invested more than $586 million in early learning and child care in the province since 2017.

Associated Links

Canada-Ontario Canada-wide Early Learning and Childcare Agreement – 2021 to 2026 
Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework 
Toward $10-a-Day: Early Learning and Child Care

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For media enquiries, please contact: Mohammad Hussain, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]