| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 ON_election_letter_to_parties.pdf | 336.23 KB |
Excerpts from the letter:
During this election campaign, Ontario families need a complete response from those seeking to form government-a package of immediate, short-term and long-term remedies. Our six points, which we provide below, address selected key elements of a strategy to begin to fix early childhood education and child care. Point 1 details an overarching consideration: child care needs a complete system overhaul-a long-term plan and policy. We're asking you to commit to this as part of beginning to make this happen.
If my party forms the next government, I, as the Ontario premier will:
1. Immediately begin development of a full, comprehensive, long-term, evidence-based ECEC policy framework with principles, goals and targets and timetables.
2. Retable Bill 143 and continue the normal legislative and public process of debate, comment, amendment and passage.
3. Set aside the December 2013 regulation changes, which should be considered only within a comprehensive policy framework.
4. Reintroduce the proposed wage increase as a first step to real changes in the status of the child care workforce.
5. Recognizing the severe underfunding of Ontario child care, commit to new child care money (in addition to the wage increase) in its first budget-a $300 million fund (annualized) to address immediate crises such as cuts to 18 municipalities through changes to the funding formula, centre viability, municipal subsidy waiting lists, family child care agency funding, and so on.
6. Take leadership with other provinces/territories and the federal government to put a national child care program back on the political agenda.