Child-care centres are at-risk of closure if the province doesn’t revise their funding soon.
The plea revolves around the $10-a-day program, which aims to lower parent fees and subsidize facilities the remaining revenue. As the province wants to significantly boost the amount of child-care spaces, the YMCA says the way it is funded isn’t currently sustainable. YMCA supplies a fifth of all child-care centres in the province, and are the largest provider in Northumberland County. We spoke with Eunice Kirkpatrick, CEO of YMCA Northumberland to hear more.
Kirkpatrick says until they know the process, it’s very difficult to plan for the future. The non-profit has been an advocate for the program, which has been halving childcare fees on a year-over-year basis before hitting “$10-a-day,” in 2025. Kirkpatrick says the current funding structure puts a strain on operating costs.
Kirkpatrick says the $10-a-day program will provide social and economic benefits, but the province needs to understand the overall funding structure.
This comes amidst a shortage of Early Childhood Educators. Kirkpatrick quotes a deficiency of 8,500 ECEs by 2025.
According to the Canadian Press, child-care facilities are looking for a “full cost recovery” model. The idea explains that centres should be able to submit budget and if costs are reasonable, they should be covered.
Written by: Noah Lorusso
