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Unifor joins parents, educators, and child care advocates across Ontario who are calling on the provincial and federal governments to keep their promise and fully fund $10-a-day child care.
On Nov. 10, the Ontario government announced a one-year extension of the Canada-Wide Early Learning & Child Care agreement (CWELLC). The primary goal of the agreement was to reduce average child care fees to $10 per day by March 2026. Unfortunately, the agreement reached between Ontario and the federal government, will stall the reduction of fees at $19 per day.
“This freeze on fee reductions leaves working families struggling with child care expense that remain higher than promised,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi. “At a time when affordability is a top concern, we urge the provincial and federal governments to commit to negotiating a comprehensive, fully funded multi-year agreement.”
While the one-year extension of the program provides some stability for families by protecting against an immediate rise in child care fees, it signals a regrettable pause on the progress toward the goal of $10-a-day child care.
The short-term extension also fails to address several key issues impacting child care in Ontario. Without a clear plan for increasing wages and developing a wage grid, the system will continue struggling to attract and retain the Early Childhood Educators required to deliver quality care. The extension also offers no immediate path for accelerating the creation of new, affordable child care spaces or reinforcing the commitment to prioritizing a 70% non-profit service ratio – vital measures to address quality and accessibility.
“In times of economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to invest in our public services,” added Hashi. “At a time when Ontarians are bracing for the impact of Trump’s trade war, publicly delivered, affordable services like $10-a-day child care are fundamental to supporting workers and maintaining economic resilience.”
