In advance of the ChildCare2020 conference, CRRU is featuring selected works by conference speakers. This week: Pierre Fortin.

• Pierre Fortin is Professor of Economics at Université du Québec à Montréa [2]l

• Fortin, P., Godbout, L. & St-Cerny, S. (2012). Impact of Ouebec's universal low-fee childcare program on female labour force participation, domestic income, and government budgets. University of Sherbrooke. Available online in English [3] and in French [4]

Abstract: Based on earlier studies, we estimate that in 2008 universal access to low-fee childcare in Quebec induced nearly 70,000 more mothers to hold jobs than if no such program had existed - an increase of 3.8% in women employment. By our calculation, Quebec's domestic income (GDP) was higher by about 1.7% ($5 billion) as a result. We run a simulation of the impact of the childcare program on government own-source revenues and family transfers. We find that the tax-transfer return the federal and Quebec governments get from the program significantly exceeds its cost.

• Video: Early Childhood Development Economic Round-Table (2012)
• Economic consequences of Quebec's educational childcare policy [5] (pdf)
• Quebec's child care scheme pays for itself [6] (Toronto Star, 2011)