Child care operators, educators and parents are distancing themselves from a group of for-profit child care owners’ campaign against $10-a-day child care

TORONTO, October 22, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ontario child care organizations, educators and families are speaking out against a group of for-profit daycare owners who are orchestrating a phased closure in the province.

“It is clear that there is growing backlash in the Ontario child care community this week against the tactics of this Alberta-backed group of for-profit daycare owners,” said Carolyn Ferns of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.

Child care operators large and small have written to their families, assuring them that they are not taking part in the for-profit protest and are instead working hard to make $10-a-day child care a success for families in Ontario. The YMCA of Greater Toronto, Treetop Children’s Center in Toronto, Milton Community Resource Center in Peel, Rising Oaks Early Learning in Waterloo Region and Andrew Fleck Children’s Services in Ottawa are among those who have spoken with families on the issue, making it clear that they disagree with both the problems and the tactics of commercial owners.

Meanwhile, the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario (AECEO), the professional association representing preschools across the province, said they believe the best way to ensure that decent early childhood education and child care workers have access to decent jobs and professional payment – this will implement all programs in Ontario and become part of the $10 a day system. “Building a system takes time, it is challenging, and we still need significant improvements in wages and working conditions in Ontario. But that doesn’t mean the $10-a-day plan and its current and potential benefits for educators should. In fact, it should happen faster than ever,” said AECEO Executive Director Alana Powell.

Meanwhile, parents are taking to social media to denounce the tactics of for-profit childcare owners who are jeopardizing their childcare slots and cutting fees.

“Business operators… are calling for the $10-a-day CWELCC program to be eliminated and instead fund families directly. It would be a nightmare for a parent. Let’s not allow commercial operators to destroy everything we have gained through CWELCC. Recent child The reduction in care fees has changed the lives of families.” Toronto mother Brynn Sinclair Waters posted on X.

Treetop Children’s Center in Toronto wrote to their families last week: “At Treetop Children’s Centre, we understand the significant impact the gradual closure of child care centers will have on families in Toronto. To be clear, as a non-profit child care center…we want to let our community know that we will not be a part of these closures.”

The story continues