Provincial government pledges more money for child care services in Halton

Published October 25, 2019 at 5:46 pm

The Ontario government announced the province has created more than 19,000 licensed child care spaces.

The Ontario government announced the province has created more than 19,000 licensed child care spaces.

Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, announced the private and public sector have come together to create more child care spaces over the last year.

Research indicates there is a strong link between a strong foundation during a child’s formative years and their long-term development and success.

“Our government is committed to making life easier for families and that means improving access to child care options,” Lecce said in a news release.

“Today’s announcement of over 19,000 new child care spaces means that more families will be able to choose the kind of care that is best for their children so they can go to work, run a business or study to acquire new skills,” he continued.

In 2019, the provincial government pledged to provide $1 billion over five years to create up to 30,000 new child care spaces in schools across Ontario.

“The creation of new child care spaces—by both the public and private sectors—is great news for the families of this province,” Jill Dunlop, associate minister of children and women’s issues, said.

“Our government is taking an inclusive approach to helping them succeed and remains committed to providing child care options to meet the diversity of needs across Ontario,” she continued.

Additionally, the Ontario government announced the Ontario Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses (CARE) tax credit, which will help approximately 300,000 families by covering up to 75 per cent of their eligible childcare expenses.

“As a child care and preschool centre, we understand the demands placed on modern working parents and the challenges of balancing home, work and what’s best for our children. We applaud Minister Lecce for making it easier for childcare providers to thrive, grow and succeed. That means more child care spaces for families,” Areti Gagaoudakis, co-founder and Chief Kids Officer of Kids Childcare + Preschool, said.

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