Parents worry Ontario child care costs might go up: Here's why it's an election issue

Some families in Windsor are worried child care costs in the province might go up, and it's an issue they're taking with them to the polls.

With election day less than week away, the Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra brought the issue of child care to the forefront with a letter on Tuesday warning that if the federal government does not increase funding for the $10-a-day child-care program, the fees parents pay will rise.

A potential increase would be a serious hit to Windsor mom Amanda Pettit's budget.

"It's a massive help to our family," said Pettit, mother to 8-month-old Myles.

"I do not see childcare as any sort of luxury. I really do see it as an absolute priority."

Her son is set to start daycare in a couple of weeks, and she and her husband have been budgeting around it.

The current rate in Ontario is $22/day with the intention of eventually going down to $10/day.

"We were really hopeful for the $10. If it stayed at $22, we'll be fine. But if it goes up, it's really scary. We both need to work, especially in this economy," she said. 

"I would love to be a stay at home mom. I can't afford to do that. I'd love to be with him all the time, but both of us really need to work."

Ontario did not sign to extend

Ontario is one of three provinces that did not sign an extension to the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program with the federal government before the election was called, and the current deal is set to expire on March 31, 2026.

Minister Calandra has said that the province would like to see the program extended, but that without more funding from the federal government, the province would be underfunded by $10 billion. He said on Wednesday, in an unrelated news conference, that he hopes whoever wins the election will "step up to the plate."

"I haven't spoken to the parties with respect to their commitments, outside of having read parts of their platform, but the ministry, in advance of a federal election, was obviously working very closely with the federal government to access more resources for child care so that the promise could live up to what people are expecting," he said.

"It's time we stop yanking people's chain and tell them, if it's not going to be $10 a day, then what does the funding provide parents and what choices do they need to make?"

'It really just raised fears'

Child care advocate Morna Ballantyne criticized the Minister's letter as fear mongering, saying she was "appalled" by it.

"I thought it was irresponsible, and it was not at all clear in the letter what his motivation in sending such a letter was, so one can only speculate that he was engaging in politics and bringing parents directly into a negotiation that is taking place between the federal government and the provincial government," said Ballantyne, the executive director of Child Care Now, a national childcare advocacy association. 

"It really just raised fears without saying what the Ontario government was intending to do to ensure that the program could continue."

The Liberal platform commits to "protect and strengthen" the national child-care program and create 100,000 new spaces by 2031. It does not however say whether it would also expand its funding for the program. 

The Conservative platform only says that it will "honour existing deals with provinces and territories on child care."

"We are so nervous," said Pettit, about the upcoming election and what it might mean for the future of child care.

"I think if any government would like to see its birth rate increase, the supports need to be there in place for parents to be able to afford children, especially in this economy. I think gone are the days of just one working parent while the other can maybe stay home. I think we need everybody back into the workforce as soon as possible to continue to contribute to the economy and in order to do that the supports really need to be in place."

Ballantyne said this is a moment to be "very concerned" about the future of early learning and child care. 

"I hope that concern translates into voting decision next week at the federal level," she said.