Text of the press release:
The McGuinty government is improving access to high quality, convenient child care for thousands of families by delivering an unprecedented investment in early child development while relieving municipalities of their share of the cost of operating new child care spaces, Children and Youth Services Minister Mary Anne Chambers announced today.
"Our government's Best Start Plan will give Ontario's children the best possible start in life and help parents balance the demands of work and family," said Chambers. "We are investing new funds dedicated to child care to provide more licensed spaces and subsidies."
As part of a recent agreement with the federal government, the province is delivering approximately $1.1 billion in federal funds over the next three years, beginning this year, to implement the Best Start Plan. The province is also easing a major cost pressure on municipalities by waiving municipal cost-sharing on the new child care funding beginning in 2005-06 through 2009-10. This move will save municipalities more than $208 million over the next three years.
The $1.1 billion investment will expand the number of licensed child care spaces by approximately 25,000 by the end of 2007-08, increase access to subsidies, attract and retain qualified child care workers and develop other early learning and child care supports. This is in addition to the more than 4,000 new subsidized child care spaces the province created in 2004-05.
"This is the largest investment in child care and early child development in Ontario's history. It reflects a new commitment to Ontario's young people and is consistent with our government's priorities of health, education and economic prosperity," said Chambers during a visit to Rose Avenue Day Care Centre in Toronto.
"This is good news for Ontario municipalities and Ontario taxpayers," said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing John Gerretsen. "Municipalities can now afford to expand the number of child care spaces and provide more subsidies for more families while continuing to meet the needs of their citizens."
"The decision to waive municipal contributions related to the new child care funding is an important departure from the normal provincial - municipal cost share arrangement. Maximizing Best Start and protecting municipal government from new costs are goals that are important to our communities," said Roger Anderson, President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
"One of the most effective investments we can make for this city's future is to ensure that young Torontonians have early access to education and quality child care. We welcome this announcement, as it helps to create a legacy that will improve our city for an entire generation," said Toronto Mayor David Miller.
Ontario's Best Start Plan, when fully implemented, will include:
- A massive expansion of child care, predominantly in Ontario's publicly funded schools
- More child care subsidies so that more families can access these child care spaces
- Best Start neighbourhood early learning and care hubs that provide one-stop services for families
- Universal newborn screening and ongoing screening and services to identify needs and provide vital developmental supports
- A comprehensive 18 month well-baby checkup.
"By rebuilding the link between quality child care, education, public health and parenting programs, we are helping parents help their children be successful in school and later in life," said Chambers.
"This is an investment that keeps growing as our children grow. How we choose to support them now will determine the quality of their lives and the lives of all Ontarians in the future."