News & Stories: Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "Research shows a clear link between a solid foundation in children's early years and their long-term development and success. That is why Ontario is committed to improving access to child care, giving parents more choice and making high quality programs affordable."

Excerpt: "With an investment of over $2 billion in 2019-20 and a commitment to create up to 30,000 new child care spaces in schools, we are building a stronger child care and early years system to provide more children and families with access to child care and give children the best possible start in life."

Excerpt: "During the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ontario government is temporarily preventing child care centres from collecting payments from parents, while also ensuring that their child care spaces are protected."

Excerpt: "Compensation and benefits: Under the agreement, ETFO education workers will receive a one per cent increase to wages and salaries per year for three years. Benefits funding will be provided as a one-time inflationary increase equivalent to 4 per cent per year at the end of the agreement. A funding increase could be provided earlier if the plan falls below certain funding thresholds. These provisions are consistent with Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019."

Read Ontario's guidance for licensed child care to operate during COVID‑19 pandemic.

Excerpt: "The Ontario government is investing over $500 million to build 30 new schools and make permanent additions to 15 existing facilities, supporting over 25,000 student spaces across the province. These new, modern schools will create the foundation for a 21st century learning environment for thousands of students across the province. This investment will also generate nearly 900 new licensed child care spaces to ensure families across the province are able to access child care in their communities."

Excerpt: "EarlyON Child and Family Centres will also be permitted to reopen with in-person programming along with before- and after-school programs for school aged children which will be permitted to operate with standard ratios and maximum group size requirements. All of these programs will be subject to health and safety protocols in order to keep kids safe."

Excerpt: "Canada and Ontario agree that the long term vision, principles and objectives for early learning and child care, which are set out in the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework."

Excerpt: "Canada and Ontario agree that over the period of this Agreement, with financial support from Canada, Ontario will further build its early learning and child care system by addressing local, regional and system priorities that have an impact on families more in need by increasing the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility and inclusivity in early learning and child care."

Excerpt: "The government is acting based on feedback, outlined in the report, by: Supporting consistent quality programs in child care and early years settings by developing a provincial definition of "quality child care" that will provide parents and the child care sector with clear, consistent high-quality programming across the province; Creating more options for families and providers through increased choice in-home child care settings; Increasing access to before and after school programs by allowing authorized recreation programs to provide both before and after programs, rather than just one; Supporting workforce recruitment and retention; Clarifying program guidelines related to Special Needs Resourcing by working with other ministries to identify opportunities for providing health and rehabilitation services to children with medical needs in licensed child care, children's recreation programs and day camp programs; Supporting Indigenous-led and culturally relevant programming including examining current programs to promote better alignment with Indigenous history and culture; Reducing administrative burdens and addressing technical issues and gaps."

Excerpt: "The COVID-19 outbreak has further highlighted the importance of having a range of high-quality child care and early years programs, that provide rich social, emotional and early learning experiences for children while allowing families to work. The outbreak has also highlighted what we already knew about people working in the child care and early years sector: they are passionate, dedicated and child-centred, able to adapt to changing circumstances while always keeping the best interests of children and families at heart."

Excerpt: "In the year ending March 31, 2020: The number of licensed child care centres increased by almost 1% to 5,565 centres, of which more than 3,000 centres were located in publicly funded schools; The number of licensed child care spaces grew by 16,206 spaces to 462,802 spaces, representing an increase of 4%. All age groups have seen an increase in spaces: a 4% increase for infants, toddlers, Kindergarten, and school age children; a 3% increase for preschool children; and an increase from 418 to 692 spaces for the “family age group”; A total of 131 home child care agencies were in operation, with 8,296 approved homes affiliated with these agencies; More than 2,000 individuals were approved to receive grants to support them in obtaining an early childhood education diploma."