The Ford government previously committed to deliver child care at an average fee of $10 per day by March 31, 2026. However, the Auditor General found that many of the program’s key commitments remain unfulfilled and the Ministry of Education is off-track to meet the $10 goal. The Ministry has fallen behind its annual targets for creating spaces, has no up-to-date estimate of how many workers are needed, and does not collect wait list data to properly understand demand across the province. Since 2019, just 3,000 new child care spaces have been created, despite 70,000 families currently requiring a space.
Ontario’s child care agreement with the Federal government expires on March 31, 2026 and so far the province has not signed on to renew the agreement. Ontario families need a renewed agreement, to train thousands of new ECEs, and open new spaces now. Child care is critical and we must fight together to ensure the system receives the funding needed to retain existing spaces and expand to meet the needs for working parents.
Write to Premier Doug Ford, Education Minister Paul Calandra, and your MPP and demand that the government sign the CWELCC and secure affordable child care!