Council in Quinte West has supported a National Childcare Program resolution from Niagara on the Lake.
Councillor David O’Neill told council he feels the provincial government needs to be doing a lot more than they currently are.
“Right now working parents with children at daycare, if their kids have a runny nose or cold symptoms they have to take them out of there for five days; with testing they can bring them back but now they have to be out for five days, they’re having to pay for daycare with care not being provided. Some have to take time off, they’re potentially losing money and having to pay for daycare,” O’Neill said. “I think the province needs to take a hard, long look at fixing this.”
Mayor Jim Harrison said he doesn’t disagree but he thinks some positive changes will be seen in the next few weeks.
The resolution sought to have lowered parent fees by 50% by the end of 2022 and to $10 a day by 2025-26 or sooner; for the improvement of wages and working conditions of early childhood educators, and publicly fund the expansion of not-for-profit and public childcare.
The resolution also requested the provincial government take the necessary steps to work with the federal government on a bilateral agreement to ensure the new national child care program be made available to Ontarians and it focuses on increased access, affordability, quality and responsiveness, all of which are essential to the COVID-19 pandemic response.
