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Daycare workers say they are concerned that the Couillard government's plans to slash $74 million from the daycare system this year will affect the quality of care children receive.
"It's very stressful. We're sort of walking on eggshells," said Hallie Moyse, executive director of CPE Shalom, a daycare in Montreal.
According to Radio-Canada, the province's plan to make almost $75 million in cuts this year to Quebec's daycare system is as follows:
- public daycares and administration will lose approximately $38 million
- private subsidized daycares will lose roughly $22 million
- the daycare system's surplus fund will lose about $13 million
Moyse said for that represents a cut of about $25,000 this year at CPE Shalom, which has 80 children.
"My biggest concern is about salaries, and therefore the ratios vis-a-vis the children to educators because we tend to have a higher ratio with the younger children. They need that extra love and support," Moyse said, adding that she's concerned about whether she will be able to continue to offer the healthiest food choices and extra curricular activities.
Moyse said she and other daycare providers are worried about next year, wondering if even more cuts will be on the way.
Members of the opposition said Family Minister Francine Charbonneau is making cuts too swiftly.
"We think that the minister is very quick to cut within the ministry, but when it's time to solve issues like quality of care and safety, there is no action," said Parti Québécois daycare critic Mathieu Traversy.
-reprinted from CBC News