Canada's REAL economic action plan begins with poverty eradication

Excerpts from the press release:

This year marks 24 years since the unanimous House of Commons' resolution to end child poverty in Canada by 2000 and four years after the entire House of Commons voted "to develop an immediate plan to end poverty for all in Canada."

The 2013 national report card, entitled Canada's REAL Economic Action Plan Begins with Poverty Eradication highlights the compelling reasons why the federal government needs to take leadership. It presents the latest statistics on child and family poverty and makes recommendations for all political parties. Federal party leaders have been invited to respond to the report card.

Excerpts from the Factsheet 10: Canada still needs that national childcare program...now more than ever

Data and research, media reports and parents' accounts are in agreement that - in one way or another - Canada is failing to meet the childcare needs of the majority of children and families. Canadian parents are desperate for high quality childcare spaces in all provinces; outside Quebec, they pay sky-high fees.

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Low-income families are often poorly served. All provinces/territories except Quebec provide fee subsidies but these frequently fail to make childcare financially accessible even to eligible parents. Ontario's subsidy rationing means long waiting lists while in some other provinces, even very low income families are expected to pay hefty surcharges above the amount provincial subsidies cover-these can be as much as $500/month. Data from 2010 showed that since 2001, the percentage of children subsidized has generally been static or even dropped in some instances.