Ontario Daycare Operators Plan Rolling Closures in Protest of Funding Changes
For-profit child-care providers warn of closures starting the week of Oct. 21 as they demand changes to the province’s new funding formula
A group of predominantly for-profit daycare operators in Ontario has announced plans for rolling closures during the week of October 21, aiming to pressure the provincial government to reconsider changes to its child-care funding formula. These closures are expected to impact families across several regions, including Toronto, Peel, York, Halton, Barrie, Muskoka, and Durham, with the potential for further expansion.
The move is driven by concerns over the Ontario government’s new funding model set to take effect in January 2025, which will reduce parent fees to $22 per day—down from $23—and ultimately target $10 per day by March 2026. Under the revised formula, operators will receive funding based on factors like location, capacity, and the age groups served, rather than simply covering the fee reductions as part of the federal $10-a-day child-care program.
Many daycare operators, including Lisa Todorovic, owner of Little Footsteps Childcare in Toronto, argue that the new funding approach could leave them struggling to cover unique or unconventional costs. “It’s the only thing that’s going to make our voices heard,” Todorovic said, explaining her decision to join the closures. Her centre serves 106 children.
While daycare operators are in favor of affordable child-care, they say the new formula lacks clarity and could be insufficient for centers with distinctive needs. “We will be cookie-cutter child-care centres,” said Salima Rawjee, operator of Little Learners Academy in Toronto, which provides care for 54 children. She is also participating in the planned closures.
Under the new plan, daycare operators will receive baseline funding along with an eight percent profit margin from provincial and federal sources. Operators who wish to expand their services may be eligible for additional top-ups, and legacy top-ups are also available for those whose costs exceed standard limits. However, many operators are concerned that the guidelines are too vague, making it difficult to determine which expenses will be covered. For some, this includes costs that make their services unique, such as family events or additional staffing.
As the province moves forward with the changes, the rolling closures signal a growing divide between daycare providers and the government over how best to balance affordable care with sustainable business operations.
Keywords for SEO: Ontario daycare closures, child-care funding changes, for-profit daycare operators, Ontario government child-care formula, rolling closures daycare, $10-a-day child-care, daycare protests Ontario, daycare funding protest, Ontario child-care costs
Source : Swifteradio.com
