Introduction
Toronto's licensed child care system is growing
In anticipation of increased federal and provincial investments, Toronto's licensed child care system is expected to grow. This report outlines the ideal vision for that growth in order to meet the needs of families with children 0-4, to make child care more affordable, and to ensure programs of high quality. Achieving this vision depends on significant public investments, and requires a commitment of longterm funding from all three orders of government.
Paving the road for a child care system that meets the needs of all Toronto families
Toronto Children's Services has heard time and again from parents and caregivers that the child care system is not meeting their needs. From a lack of physical spaces located near home, school or work, to the highest average parent fees in the country, to a fee subsidy wait list of over 15,000 children, the system is leaving many families behind, and others under significant strain.
Recent research by Toronto Children's Services has shown that licensed child care is unaffordable to over 75% of families. On the other hand, if costs were reduced, up to 50% of families would choose licensed care.
This report paves the road for a child care system that works for all Toronto families, and illustrates what is required to get there. It outlines a vision for the next ten years, a vision that is rooted in research about who in Toronto would demand child care if it were affordable, and how best to grow the system to meet that demand. It is an ambitious vision, but it is what Toronto's families require.
-reprinted from the City of Toronto