TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ontario families with young children are launching a new group today, Parents for Child Care, to add the important voices of families to child care policy debates. Parents for Child Care brings together Ontario families who support the $10aDay child care plan and want to see it strengthened and expanded.
“Parents across the province are seeing transformative fee reductions. Child care is one of the only costs that has actually gone down in recent years. With housing and food costs increasing, it is such a relief for many parents that child care is getting more affordable. But without enough spaces, too many families are still being left behind,” said Brynne Sinclair-Waters, a Toronto mother of a toddler and co-founder of Parents for Child Care.
Families who have been left behind for too long include parents like Alex Prichard of Parry Sound, a town known as a “child care desert”. “We need to recognize the struggles of families navigating the chaos of childcare in rural Ontario. Leaving the need for childcare to traditional market solutions is a failed experiment. If it worked, towns like Parry Sound would be thriving. Instead, it remains a child care wasteland. Ending child care deserts is crucial—not just for families, but for our economy,” said Prichard.
Other parents joining Parents for Child Care have seen firsthand how vitally important quality, affordable child care has been for their families.
For Lyndsay MacKay the promise of affordable child care meant she could start a family after years of saving up. The East Toronto mom’s infant son will start child care in January. “The fees are manageable because the centre is part of the $10aDay program. I am beyond grateful for this program that funds child care directly because it made starting a family possible for us,” said MacKay.
For Alicia Lam, it was the quick and skilled actions of Early Childhood Educators at her son’s child care centre that meant he survived an unexpected and serious medical emergency. “That is why I am here today - to show up for child care educators the way they have shown up for our family,” said Lam.
But without enough child care spaces, finding a space is still a matter of luck. For expectant parent Thơ Nguyễn, competing against other families for too few child care spaces just doesn’t seem fair. “Child care shouldn’t be a privilege for the few—it should be a guarantee for all. $10aDay child care needs to be expanded so that every family, every child, has access to the affordable, quality care they deserve.”
The new parent group is attending Queen’s Park to bring their message straight to decision makers.
“What parents need is a commitment from every level of government and every party to making the $10-a-day child care plan work. We want to see it strengthened and expanded. Here in Ontario, we need Minister Jill Dunlop and Premier Doug Ford to get serious about a real plan to create new spaces and a fair wage grid for educators,” said Sinclair-Waters.
At noon families will be joining Early Childhood Educators at their rally for $10aDay and Decent Pay on the south lawn of Queen’s Park. These events are being supported by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care as part of Child Care Now’s Ten Days of Action for $10aDay Child Care.
WHAT: |
Parents for Child Care press conference |
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WHERE: |
Queen’s Park Media Studio |
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WHEN: |
Wednesday November 20th, 9:30AM |
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WHAT: |
Child Care Rally for $10aDay and Decent Pay |
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WHERE: |
Queen’s Park, South Lawn |
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WHEN: |
Wednesday November 20th, 12pm |
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