Parents protest proposed cuts to school childcare grants
Posted February 1, 2017 2:32 pm.
Last Updated February 1, 2017 2:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A group of parents and educators gathered at Toronto City Hall on Wednesday to protest proposed cuts to childcare grants in the budget.
They’ve started a pledge to keep the $1.13-million Childcare Occupancy Grant, which helps with the cost of maintaining daycare spaces in public, Catholic and French schools.
However, the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care says without the grant, affected families would have to pay at least $350 more in child care fees every year. The cut would not affect low-income parents who get subsidies.
“We need every city councillor to work to stop this cut,” said event organizer Carolyn Ferns. “We cannot ask families to pay more.
“Mayor Tory says that the province should pick up these costs, but it’s irresponsible for the city to just walk away.”
Janet Davis was one of the councillors on hand offering her support.
“Toronto families are struggling to pay the highest child care costs in the country,” she said.
“As city councillors, we need to show these families some love and fund affordable, quality child care. The 300 additional subsidies are a good start, but over 17,000 families continue to wait for affordable child care.”
Last month, Mayor John Tory announced 300 new child care subsidies in the 2017 budget at a cost of $3 million.
