News & Stories: Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "Ontario is providing a $1 per hour wage increase for eligible child care workers who qualify in the licensed child care sector, bringing the total wage increase up to $2 per hour, plus benefits. The province is also providing an additional $10 per day increase to home child care providers who qualify, bringing the total increase up to $20 per day. Both increases are effective January 2016."

Excerpt: "The ministry is now consulting on Phase 2 regulations to continue to support the government's vision for child care modernization and its commitment to have in place before and after school programs for children age 6-12 years in publicly-funded schools."

Excerpt: "Ontario is delivering on its commitment to make access to child and family programs easier by announcing the launch of Ontario Early Years Child and Family Centres. These hubs will offer parents and their children a suite of high-quality early years programs, as well as local services tailored to their communities."

Excerpt: "Ontario is also investing in child care by creating approximately 4,000 new licensed child care spaces in local schools to give children the opportunity to transition more easily into full-day kindergarten. These new spaces will be built in areas of high demand and will enhance access to quality child care options for families across the province. This investment is another step towards a modern child care and early years system that will enhance programs and supports for children in Ontario."

Excerpt: "The newly expanded children's autism program will make it easier for families to access services for their children by reducing wait times, providing more flexible services based on children's needs, and serving more children and youth. It will also help children receive intensive therapy services during the key early developmental years."

Excerpt: "Families in Toronto, Kingsville and Oshawa will also benefit through the construction of a total of 19 new custom-built child care rooms in local schools. This will create 318 total new licensed spaces for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers."

Excerpt: "As part of today's $90 million investment to further enable the development of community hubs, the province will provide: $20 million to create space for new child care and child and family support programs through Ontario Early Years Child and Family Centres in schools; $18 million to retrofit existing child care space within a school to open up more spaces for children under four years old."

Excerpt: “Provinces and territories shared how they have been working to strengthen the workforce by establishing and expanding wage grids and training initiatives and by advancing recruitment, retention and recognition supports. The strategy will be an added tool for all ministers to consider as they continue to work toward their shared goal of providing more families in Canada with access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care, no matter where they live. Additionally, Ontario has committed to taking the lead on establishing a working group on inter-provincial and territorial mobility and foreign credential recognition for the early childhood education workforce to ensure seamless movement of qualified staff across Canada and from around the world.”

Excerpt: "On May 9, 2016, the Ministry of Education filed new and revised regulations under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 with the Ontario registrar. The new rules will take effect at varying effective dates, starting July 1, 2016."

Excerpt: "Ontario is proposing a regulation that would ban licensed child care centres and home child care agencies from charging fees to join a waiting list for child care programs."

Excerpt: "Ontario has filed a regulation to end fees for child care wait lists to improve the accessibility of child care and make life easier for families. The ban will take effect September 1, 2016, and will prevent licensed child care centres and home child care agencies from charging fees or requiring deposits to join child care wait lists. The regulatory amendments also require licensed child care providers to: Develop a public wait list policy that clearly explains how children on a wait list are offered admission; Ensure wait list status is made available to families, in a manner that protects the confidentiality of their personal information."

Excerpt: "This new plan provides a picture of our current services and challenges in Waterloo Region, which is based on input and feedback from parents, service providers and child care operators."