The deal is set to be officially announced on Monday, officials said, making Ontario the last province to sign Prime Minister Justin Trinto’s national childcare plan.
The deal commits the federal government to providing $ 10.2 billion to Ontario over a five-year period to reduce the average cost of a childcare facility to $ 10 a day in 2026, according to federal and county officials.
This is the same amount that the Trinto government has offered to Ontario since negotiations on the childcare plan began last year.
For parents, funding means an imminent reduction in childcare fees by an average of 25 percent, with a further reduction of 25 percent each year from now.
Provincial officials said the deal also includes a plan to build 86,000 new childcare facilities in Ontario by 2026, giving priority to nonprofits.
The cost of childcare in Ontario is among the highest in the country, with a full-time job for an infant in Toronto typically costing $ 1,600 a month. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)
Reaching an agreement helps dispel what could be a politically challenging election issue for Ford Progressive Conservatives. The Ontario campaign is set to begin in less than six weeks, with election day scheduled for June 2.
However, the time it took to reach this agreement will raise questions about what his government has achieved while waiting to sign. Earlier, Ford had said the delay was because his government wanted to get the best deal possible for the province.
In an unrelated press conference in Toronto on Sunday before the deal was signed, Ford said the $ 10.2 billion offered over five years is not enough to reduce the cost of childcare in Ontario to $ 10 a day. .
But when asked if anything was blocking a deal, Ford replied: “No, I think we are good. We have worked very closely with the federal government, they have been excellent partners as always, and we look forward to the announcement.”
A provincial official told CBC News that the deal gives Ontario “much more flexibility in how we can spend money during the deal than in other provinces.” But the official did not provide details on what this flexibility entails.
“At the end of the day, a funding formula for PEI may not be the same as for a province like Ontario,” he said. “Ontario has a very complex childcare system.”
A federal official said the main flexibility in the deal included allowing Ontario to spend the $ 1.1 billion allocated for fiscal year 2021-2022 during the second year of the deal, which begins April 1.
Some 550,000 families in Ontario incur childcare costs, according to estimates by the county financial accountability office. (The Canadian Press)
It may take several weeks or even months before money starts flowing into childcare facilities to reduce the price parents pay. However, parents could eventually expect a 25 percent refund of their childcare costs from April 1 until the price of the sticker drops.
A turning point for Ontario was whether Ottawa would continue to fund the childcare program after the five-year 2026 agreement expires.
The provincial official said Ontario “secured funding outside of the five-year agreement,” but declined to say how much funding or for how long.
In its budget last year, the Trinto government committed to permanent annual childcare funding after 2026. Ontario’s minimum annual share will be $ 2.9 billion.
The federal childcare plan is being touted as a way to boost Canada’s economy by making it easier for parents to return to the workforce after the birth of their children.
Infant care costs $ 70 / day
Ontario childcare costs are among the highest in the country, with a full-time job for a young child in Toronto typically costing about $ 1,600 a month, in the $ 70 a day range. Kindergarten costs more and even caring for preschoolers can lead to fees approaching $ 60 per day. The deal includes commitments to increase salaries for enrolled preschool teachers in Ontario, in a bid to encourage more people to work in childcare. The minimum wage for program staff will be set at $ 18 an hour and for supervisors at $ 20 an hour, with both rising by $ 1 a year, the federal official said. The county official said a separate infrastructure deal to create more childcare facilities outside the 86,000 in the main deal is being discussed with Ottawa. “We are getting there,” the official said.
title: “Ontario Reaches 10 A Day Child Care Deal With Federal Government Sources " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-22” author: “Buford Trujillo”
Ontario is the latest province to sign Prime Minister Justin Trinto’s national childcare plan. Ford and Trudeau are scheduled to announce the deal Monday morning at a news conference in the greater Toronto area.
The deal commits the federal government to providing $ 10.2 billion to Ontario over a five-year period to reduce the average cost of a childcare facility to $ 10 a day in 2026, according to federal and county officials.
This is the same amount that the Trinto government has offered to Ontario since negotiations on the childcare plan began last year.
For parents, funding means an imminent reduction in childcare fees by an average of 25 percent, with a further reduction of 25 percent each year from now.
Officials said the deal also includes a plan to create 86,000 new childcare facilities in Ontario by 2026, with priority given to nonprofits.
The cost of childcare in Ontario is among the highest in the country, with a full-time job for an infant in Toronto typically costing $ 1,600 a month. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)
Reaching an agreement helps dispel what could be a politically challenging election issue for Ford Progressive Conservatives. The Ontario campaign is set to begin in less than six weeks, with election day scheduled for June 2.
However, the time it took to reach this agreement will raise questions about what his government has achieved while waiting to sign. Earlier, Ford had said the delay was because his government wanted to get the best deal possible for the province.
In an unrelated press conference in Toronto on Sunday before the deal was signed, Ford said the $ 10.2 billion offered over five years is not enough to reduce the cost of childcare in Ontario to $ 10 a day. .
But when asked if anything was blocking a deal, Ford replied: “No, I think we are good. We have worked very closely with the federal government, they have been excellent partners as always, and we look forward to the announcement.”
A provincial official told CBC News that the deal gives Ontario “much more flexibility in how we can spend money during the deal than in other provinces.” But the official did not provide details on what this flexibility entails.
“At the end of the day, a funding formula for PEI may not be the same as for a province like Ontario,” he said. “Ontario has a very complex childcare system.”
A federal official said the main flexibility in the deal included allowing Ontario to spend the $ 1.1 billion allocated for fiscal year 2021-2022 during the second year of the deal, which begins April 1.
CLOCKS Ontario and Ottawa reach agreement on childcare:
Ontario, Ottawa Arranged $ 10 Child Care Day: Sources
CBC News has learned that Ontario and the federal government have reached an agreement to bring $ 10 a day in daycare to the province. Ontario is the last province to conclude a childcare agreement with Ottawa. 1:53
It may take several weeks or even months before money starts flowing into childcare facilities to reduce the price parents pay. However, parents could eventually expect a 25 percent refund of their childcare costs from April 1 until the price of the sticker drops.
A turning point for Ontario was whether Ottawa would continue to fund the childcare program after the five-year 2026 agreement expires.
The provincial official said Ontario “secured funding outside of the five-year agreement,” but declined to say how much funding or for how long.
In its budget last year, the Trinto government committed to permanent annual childcare funding after 2026. Ontario’s minimum annual share will be $ 2.9 billion.
The federal childcare plan is being touted as a way to boost Canada’s economy by making it easier for parents to return to the workforce after the birth of their children.
Infant care costs $ 70 a day
Ontario childcare costs are among the highest in the country, with a full-time job for a young child in Toronto typically costing about $ 1,600 a month, in the $ 70 a day range. Kindergarten costs more and even caring for preschoolers can lead to fees approaching $ 60 per day. The deal includes commitments to increase salaries for enrolled preschool teachers in Ontario, in a bid to encourage more people to work in childcare. The minimum wage for program staff will be set at $ 18 an hour and for supervisors at $ 20 an hour, with both rising by $ 1 a year, the federal official said. The county official said a separate infrastructure deal to create more childcare facilities outside the 86,000 in the main deal is being discussed with Ottawa. “We are getting there,” the official said.
