Peggy Revell
Despite the fact federal funding given to provinces for the “Best Start” program is coming to an end in little over a year, Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board staff are hopeful that access to day care services will remain the same across the district.
“At the present time, the funding of child care spaces will remain as is,” said Children’s Services manager Mildred Beck.
“There has been no formal announcement from the province or from our regional office,” she noted, referring to the possibility of lost day care spaces, adding that when she consulted with the her regional supervisor, she was assured that no changes were foreseen at this point.
Federal funding towards this day care program was first given out to provinces under former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin, and amounts to $63.5 million for Ontario.
The current federal government so far has no plans to renew this funding, meaning it will end as of March 31, 2010.
Some child care advocates have projected that if the federal government doesn’t continue with this funding, or the provincial government doesn’t pick up the funding itself, thousands of childcare spaces across the province will be lost.
Despite this, Beck is hopeful the funding will continue.
“This is a feasibility issue,” she said. “The province has spent millions of dollars in infrastructure and capital creating day care spaces, and then they filled them and gave the operating dollars for fee subsidies etc. to operate the centres so people can go to work.
“I just can’t comprehend . . . that after spending that money and opening all those spaces that all of a sudden the province would say, ‘Oh no, we’re closing them all down, see you later.’
“I just can’t see that happening,” Beck stressed, especially since child care is a large component of the province’s poverty reduction plan.
“We have a lot of families that have fee subsidies. To have their children go to subsidized day care enables them to work, and so I think it’s an essential service,” she added.
Since fiscal years run from April 1 to the next year, Beck noted they would have a better idea come April or May if funding no longer will be available.
“The notice from my regional supervisor is no, she doesn’t see it [changing], and I hope we’re not unpleasantly surprised,” Beck said.
