NDP calls for child care deal before Thursday’s deadline

Ontario New Democrats congratulate Jagmeet Singh on securing long-term space creation funding

QUEEN’S PARK — Ontario NDP Child Care critic Bhutila Karpoche said it’s wrong that the Ford government has left signing a $10 per day child care deal to the eleventh hour, leaving Ontario parents to keep shelling out hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month while they wait.

“Parents in Ontario paying crushing, mortgage-sized fees for child care could have gotten the relief of $10-a-day child care for months now,” Karpoche said. “Instead, Doug Ford and Stephen Lecce have dragged their heels on signing a deal with Ottawa, leaving families struggling and in the dark about their plans, while every other province and territory has signed on.”

Karpoche congratulated federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh on securing long-term, space-creating funding in a deal with the federal government. She said reports that Ford will sign a deal for the same $10.2 billion that was on the table months ago is fueling frustration from parents today.

“Every other province and territory in Canada has signed a $10-per-day child care deal based on the number of children under 12 in their jurisdiction,” Karpoche said. “Why has Ford held out for months? Every month, parents are watching their bank accounts drain while Ford has dragged his feet.

“The Ontario NDP will continue going to bat for Ontario families to fix our broken child care system and bring down staggering child care costs. And we’ll work with the Trudeau government to make child care in Ontario $10 per day, and to give early childhood educators the wages and decent benefits they have always deserved.”