hair care operators have until provincial 1 deadline to confirm your intentions to participate in the $10-a-day child care program.
Once approved, an operator has 60 days to return 25 percent of the fees paid retrospectively from April 1 to families for eligible children.
Of the nearly 900 for-profit operators of the Ontario Association of Independent Childcare Centers (OAICC), “not one” has said it has so far chosen to opt in.
“Some have already opted out. Most are waiting to see what resolution can be made with the province,” said OAICC director Maggie Moser.
Moser said its members would compromise their businesses if they committed to reducing fees without a contract indicating the funding details.
“Without a contract, you’re basically being asked to sign a blank check … we’re told nothing will be available for 2023,” she said.
Moser called the program’s rollout “a mess”.
“It’s chaos. It’s chaotic. There’s different information from across the province… Right now we can’t opt-in with the information we have. It’ll basically force us to go bankrupt, so we Not able to do that,” she said.
Toronto launches opt-in application for licensed operators to receive $10-a-day child care
More than 200 child care centers have submitted applications city of toronto to participate in Canada-wide elementary education and child care (CWELCC) system, while nine centers have confirmed their intention to opt-out for 2022.
“The city is pleased with the current pace of applications,” Shanley McNamee, general manager of City of Toronto Children’s Services, told Global News.
East York’s Aurelia Engstrom is the mother of two children. Her youngest child will start daycare in 2023, at which time she expects it to cost her only $10 a day, in contrast to what she is currently paying for her older daughter.
“This is something we have needed for so long to help women, primary caregivers, get back into the workforce. Especially, I think, at a time when we have seen during the pandemic how primary caregivers and mothers have been most burdened with taking care of their children,” she said.
Engstrom considered moving to Quebec, where daycare is subsidized and costs much less than Ontario.
“I’m optimistic that this will eventually set in. I’m a little worried that we’re going to have some sort of backlash from our government… I’m worried we’re going to see something like $4 billion disappear Done – because easily the pandemic fund went missing. I’m worried about what’s happening. I don’t have a lot of faith in our provincial government,” Engstrom said.
Ontario’s child-care agreement with the federal government is structured in a way that makes municipalities responsible for enrollment and fund distribution.
When Emmeline, now four months old, finally starts daycare, her older sister will start attending school.
“Ultimately, we expect to see a reduction of 25 percent, which will make a big difference,” Engstrom said.
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