Even though Business and Professional Women of Ontario (BPW Ontario) has lobbied the Government of Ontario since the 1980’s asking for support in managing childcare, Ontario has one of the least affordable childcare systems among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. “The cost of non-parental childcare is high in many OECD countries…costing about half of women’s median full-time earnings” (OECD).
Childcare affordability and accessibility are long-term challenges that must be addressed to sustain and increase economic growth in this province.
The Government of Canada has included significant funding in its budget presented on April 19, 2021, to put into action a program that will bring into reality a system that ensures that women are able to go back to work with the comfort of knowing that they can afford good quality childcare (Child Care Now and Childcare Canada).
Quality childcare is essential for parents to be adequately and equally employed as the driving engine for our economic sustainability and growth. “Widespread closure of childcare facilities during the COVID-19 crisis only highlights the importance of access to affordable care” (OECD).
Parents need to have choices for childcare to accommodate more than the 9-5 worker. In addition, they need the assurance that early childhood educators are certified to provide the skills necessary for the care and education of their children. Childcare workers must be adequately paid for the care and attention they provide to our young population.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce makes recommendations for Childcare as follows:
a) Prepare for a second wave (of COVID-19),
b) Improve long-term affordability and accessibility of childcare,
c) Address the shortage of early childhood educators,
d) Explore creative solutions ranging from in-program changes to workplace-based childcare.
Currently, childcare providers rely on parental fees for revenue, while the government focuses on the demand-side of support for parents through cash transfers (Ontario Chamber of Commerce).
The Canadian Child Care Federation states: “The federal government has listened to our experts in the early learning and childcare sector, understanding that of any policy geared to help families, investments for high-quality childcare has the biggest economic payoff for parents, children and the economy. It also has compounding positive effects on women’s employment and economic security.” “This budget funding allocation across Canada will help close the gap on gender equality and directly address the continually escalating cost of childcare and early education programs” (Giesbrecht).
Child Care Now states the federal budget plan is a turning point (Child Care Now), and Childcare Canada says the 2021 budget “is a recovery plan for jobs, growth and resilience (Childcare Canada).
