Trudeau, Ontario Premier Ford Announce Deal To Offer Inexpensive Childcare Through 2025

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th March, 2022) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced during a joint press conference that the Federal and the provincial governments have signed a deal that will provide childcare at an average of $10 per day through 2025 and also offer parents a retroactive decrease in their fees by 25 percent to a minimum of $12 a day.

"Ontario's allocation was $10.2 billion as we calculated almost a year ago and that's what this deal was. This plan offers choice and financial relief to families," Trudeau said on Monday. "We made a commitment to make sure that families across the country have affordable, $10 a day, high-quality childcare spaces."

Trudeau said pulling the plan together was "not easily done," especially considering how difficult it is to be able to provide quality childcare. But that didn't stop the federal government from making a firm commitment "to get it done," he said. Trudeau also acknowledged the complexity of the task both governments are embarking on, but he said the federal government has invested historic amounts of money, engaged in "robust" conversations with leaders of the provinces and other stakeholders, and promised they will continue to create a system and build the infrastructure that will allow all families in Canada to benefit.

Ford said the Ontario� government will focus on areas of need, including in high-priority neighborhoods and with respect to Indigenous people.

"We may have to (provide) infrastructure funds to add onto schools and building YMCAs. What is absolutely critical is more people willing to work in early childhood education. Frankly, they deserve more money. That's a special skillset and they deserve to be compensated more appropriately," Ford said.

Ontario government officials said that under the childcare agreement, fees for families will be reduced again in December thus bringing a total cut in the cost of daily daycare to 50% this year. Officials also said the childcare costs will be reduced again in September of 2024 and ultimately reach an average of $10 a day by September 2025.