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News & Stories: Policy Monitor

August 27, 2019

Excerpt: "Ontario is committed to providing families with more choice and convenience when it comes to accessing child care that works for them. That's why over the over the next five years the government is pledging up to $1 billion to create up to 30,000 new child care spaces in schools across the province to provide young children with a safe environment to learn and grow. Included in this commitment is nearly 10,000 child care spaces that will be built in new schools."
August 28, 2019

Excerpt: "Starting in the 2021 tax-year, the credit would also be available for eligible families through regular advance payments during the year, helping parents better manage child care expenses as they are incurred.

The CARE tax credit will be on top of the existing Child Care Expense Deduction (CCED) and focus support to low- and moderate-income families. The CARE tax credit will provide about $1,250 per family, on average, in new child care support to about 300,000 families. The maximum amount available will be higher for families with a child dealing with a severe disability, with no age restrictions."
October 25, 2019

Excerpt: "Research shows a clear link between a solid foundation in children's early years and their long-term development and success. That is why Ontario is committed to improving access to child care, giving parents more choice and making high quality programs affordable."
October 31, 2019

Ontario's Early Years and Child Care Annual Report 2019

Excerpt: "With an investment of over $2 billion in 2019-20 and a commitment to create up to 30,000 new child care spaces in schools, we are building a stronger child care and early years system to provide more children and families with access to child care and give children the best possible start in life."
April 10, 2020

Excerpt: "During the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ontario government is temporarily preventing child care centres from collecting payments from parents, while also ensuring that their child care spaces are protected."
April 28, 2020

Excerpt: "Compensation and benefits: Under the agreement, ETFO education workers will receive a one per cent increase to wages and salaries per year for three years. Benefits funding will be provided as a one-time inflationary increase equivalent to 4 per cent per year at the end of the agreement. A funding increase could be provided earlier if the plan falls below certain funding thresholds. These provisions are consistent with Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019."
July 23, 2020

Excerpt: "The Ontario government is investing over $500 million to build 30 new schools and make permanent additions to 15 existing facilities, supporting over 25,000 student spaces across the province. These new, modern schools will create the foundation for a 21st century learning environment for thousands of students across the province. This investment will also generate nearly 900 new licensed child care spaces to ensure families across the province are able to access child care in their communities."
July 30, 2020

Excerpt: "EarlyON Child and Family Centres will also be permitted to reopen with in-person programming along with before- and after-school programs for school aged children which will be permitted to operate with standard ratios and maximum group size requirements. All of these programs will be subject to health and safety protocols in order to keep kids safe."
July 29, 2020

Excerpt: "Canada and Ontario agree that the long term vision, principles and objectives for early learning and child care, which are set out in the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework."
September 3, 2020

Excerpt: "Canada and Ontario agree that over the period of this Agreement, with financial support from Canada, Ontario will further build its early learning and child care system by addressing local, regional and system priorities that have an impact on families more in need by increasing the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility and inclusivity in early learning and child care."
October 2, 2020

Excerpt: "The government is acting based on feedback, outlined in the report, by: Supporting consistent quality programs in child care and early years settings by developing a provincial definition of "quality child care" that will provide parents and the child care sector with clear, consistent high-quality programming across the province; Creating more options for families and providers through increased choice in-home child care settings; Increasing access to before and after school programs by allowing authorized recreation programs to provide both before and after programs, rather than just one; Supporting workforce recruitment and retention; Clarifying program guidelines related to Special Needs Resourcing by working with other ministries to identify opportunities for providing health and rehabilitation services to children with medical needs in licensed child care, children's recreation programs and day camp programs; Supporting Indigenous-led and culturally relevant programming including examining current programs to promote better alignment with Indigenous history and culture; Reducing administrative burdens and addressing technical issues and gaps."