Canada has never been closer to having an accessible, affordable child care system. Eight provinces and territories have signed deals with the Trudeau government that will flow billions of dollars to build thousands of regulated child care spaces and make them affordable. But in the upcoming federal election, the main parties have very different ideas on child care. This is why it’s more important than ever that we parents speak up about how important child care is, not just for our pocketbooks, but for our children?s?and our country?s?future.
I?ve seen Canada?s child care crisis up close, and it isn?t pretty. Like many parents across the country, the moment that I found out I was pregnant, I drew a circle on a map around our apartment and got on every waiting list at every daycare in the area. In our neighbourhood in Toronto, that was 12 lists, all told. So far, so good?in some ?child care deserts,” I would have been lucky to find even one regulated program. After my son was born, I waited to hear back from even one centre with a spot in an infant room. But no such luck.
Because I?d worked as an early childhood educator and a child care policy researcher, I knew the challenge that was coming. But still, with only a few months before I was supposed to head back to work, and still no space secured for my kid, I was panicking. I started to call child care centres. Years of experience in the sector meant that I knew how things worked. I told each centre director ...