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Ontario is helping make high quality child care more affordable for families as part of a new $25 million investment.
The McGuinty government will provide $23 million in financial assistance to help an additional 3,000 children benefit from licensed child care. Licensed providers have to meet health, safety and caregiver training standards that are enforced by the government.
Eligibility for the financial assistance is based on net family income. For example, a family with a net income below $20,000 can receive full child care assistance. A family receiving financial child care assistance with a net income of $40,000 will pay approximately $8 per day. Parents can apply for the financial assistance through their municipality for children up to age 12.
The government is also investing $2 million to create new child care spaces in French-language schools.
Making child care more affordable builds on the McGuinty government's commitment to develop a poverty reduction strategy that will expand opportunities for children and low-income families so they can reach their full potential and contribute to a strong economy.
Quotes
"Making sure more families have access to affordable, high quality child care for their kids helps increase opportunities for the entire family," said Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews. "It means that children benefit from a quality early learning environment &em; and it helps hard-working parents balance the demands of work and family."
"I am pleased with the additional funding announcement for child care," said Hamilton's Mayor Fred Eisenberger. "With this funding, we will be able to support the highest needs families in our community."
"I know how important access to affordable child care is to parents in Hamilton," said Sophia Aggelonitis, MPP for Hamilton Mountain. "I am delighted that more families will be able to receive a fee subsidy as a result of this increased funding.
"This funding will help more families in our community with the costs of licensed child care," said Ted McMeekin, MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. "This government is committed to supporting Ontario parents and giving their kids the best start in life.
Quick Facts
Approximately 14,000 more children are receiving fee subsidies through Best Start investments.
Ontario has created more than 22,000 new child care spaces over the past three years and is investing more than $869 million in child care in 2008-09.
Ontario's standardized income test for fee subsidies ensures fairness, recognizes that middle income families may need help too and makes more families eligible for subsidies.
- reprinted from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services