A non-profit daycare in Richmond is about to lose its provincial funding as a result of it by no means signed up for the nationwide $10-a-day child-care program, however the daycare argues it wasn’t warned in regards to the penalties till after the deadline.
Ontario joined the $10-a-day program, formally referred to as the Canada-wide Early Studying and Youngster Care (CWELCC) system, in 2022.
Since then, eight provinces and territories are at present delivering regulated little one look after a median of $10 a day or much less, however not Ontario.
To deal with issues that the provincial funds weren’t sufficient to cowl prices, Ontario promised a brand new funding construction in 2025.
As a part of that plan, it additionally mentioned it could pull provincial funding from these not taking part in CWELCC, just like the Richmond Co-operative Nursery College (RCNS) in Ottawa.
“We simply knowledgeable the dad and mom this previous week and they’re actually upset,” mentioned president Jenny Rutherford.
“The [CWELCC] is attempting to attain inexpensive, accessible little one care throughout the nation. We already provide that, however we’re being instructed we’re not going to get funding, so go forward and lift your costs.”
Why did not the nursery join?
Rutherford mentioned she did not apply for CWELCC as a result of her daycare was already providing inexpensive service: part-time little one care at $12 a day.
“So we thought, why not save the areas for the daycares which can be charging $50 or $60 or $70 a day and provides these dad and mom a break?” Rutherford mentioned.
Jenny Rutherford, president of the Richmond nursery college. (Jenny Rutherford)
However Rutherford mentioned they did not know it could imply their provincial funding could be reduce.
The varsity obtained simply over $33,000 final yr.
Rutherford mentioned she wasn’t notified till November, and by that point functions have been long-closed — so she could not have utilized for CWELCC even when she needed to.
“We needed to learn that message in all probability 4 instances. We thought for positive that it was a mistake,” she mentioned.
Rutherford mentioned they might have sufficient funding to get via the following yr, however could not make sure. She additionally mentioned she would join now if it have been attainable.
However can the nursery nonetheless join?
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Schooling instructed CBC it was as much as the Metropolis of Ottawa to deal with the college’s state of affairs. Although the funding is provincial, CWELCC is managed and distributed by municipalities.
There have been two methods to affix the CWELCC, mentioned Jason Sabourin, town’s director of kids’s companies: suppliers may choose in again in 2022, or apply in 2023 as by then areas grew to become restricted.
The RCNS did neither, Sabourin wrote in an e-mail.
“We’re actively working to search out options to assist their participation in CWELCC whereas navigating the excessive calls for and provincial constraints.”
Demand “far exceeded” the out there areas, Sabourin mentioned. The town has submitted a request to the province for extra areas, he mentioned, though that is nonetheless pending.
Rutherford mentioned the RCNS might have sufficient funding to get them via another yr, however she could not make sure. (Submitted by Jenny Rutherford)
What does the long run appear to be?
The town recommended the RCNS increase their costs, however that “goes instantly towards what [CWELCC] is attempting to attain,” Rutherford mentioned.
“If we hastily needed to make use of tuition as a approach to make up these misplaced funds from the province, we will value ourselves out of this neighborhood,” she mentioned.
Within the meantime, native dad and mom have “all provided to assist in any approach they will,” Rutherford mentioned
Some have been writing testimonials, and Rutherford mentioned she plans to ship them to town — which has instructed her they’re in search of a approach to assist her.
However she hasn’t heard something but.
“It is humorous, as a result of it is all people saying it isn’t their accountability,” she mentioned. “No person needs to take accountability or blame for chopping the funding, after which no one needs to offer it again.”
Ottawa Morning8:04A catch-22 for a daycare in south Ottawa
The Richmond Co-operative Nursery College is dropping its provincial funding and scrambling to search out options.
