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The Oakville Beaver, Friday June 2, 2006 - 37 Your Halton Your Halton Connection Connection June `06 `06 January Quality child care Joyce Savoline REGIONAL CHAIRMAN benefits us all Givingthe best start in life children A. Brent Marshall CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER Recently I wrote to Provincial Minister Mary Anne Chambers in support of her efforts to call upon the federal government to honour its five-year funding commitment for child care in Ontario. While we are pleased to learn about the additional operating funding from the Province over the next four years, we are disappointed that the federal government does not intend to continue the Federal­Provincial Child Care Agreement: an investment that would have allowed us to build an additional 600 child care spaces in Halton. Halton is a growing community. We need more child care spaces to meet the needs of our population. I believe there are inherent problems with the new federal plan to issue annual funding of $1,200 per child. This money is taxable, and doesn't go very far when it costs over $10,000 a year for child care. Moreover, it is only useful if there are actual child care spaces available. The first years of life are key to developing a strong foundation for our children. Research shows that quality child care and early learning experiences support children and their longterm success. Originally, in an attempt to address our early learning and child care needs Halton Region was allocated $23.12M through the Federal-Provincial Child Care Agreement, which would have created 600 new licensed child care spaces. However, with the federal government's intention to terminate the Agreement, Halton's ability to provide new spaces was reduced, to the provision of only 200 new child care spaces. Regional Council strongly supports the Province's Best Start Initiative ­ a strategy that not only expanded child care, but provided all parents with programs for children's healthy early development. In response, the Province has granted Halton an additional $6.4M for 2006-2007 through the Best Start strategy, with an unconfirmed future allocation over the next three · 35,000 children in Halton years. This increase will support are 0-6 years of age operating costs for child care · Halton has 7,000 licensed and is one-time funding only. child care spaces for 0-6 years of age This revised funding will provide · 72% of working age adults more subsidized spaces for low in Halton were part of the income families, wage subsidy labour force in 2001 and improvements for child · 12% of Halton's families are care staff, as well as increased led by single parents resources for children with special needs. While we are improving the child care situation in Halton, we are concerned that this new funding allocation does not create a sustainable early learning and child care system. To address this issue we will keep working with the provincial and federal governments to consider alternate ways of funding for the future. "It is essential to the future prosperity of this country that we innovate or be left behind. I strongly urge the federal and provincial governments to seek out alternate sources of funding, so communities can move their child care systems forward." Chairman Savoline Did you know... Several groups are particularly hard hit by the cancellation of the federal agreement. Low and single income parents consistently find affordable child care a necessity but completely unattainable without subsidy support. In addition, families with children with special needs are also adversely affected since services for these children are limited. They have difficulty in finding caregivers and very little choice by way of supports or after school programs that can accommodate them. These families in particular, would benefit from the development of a comprehensive system, because the market cannot meet their needs. Child care, like healthcare and education benefits us all as a society. Halton Meetings & Events June Meetings at Regional Headquarters Tuesday, June 13 Wednesday, June 14 9:30 a.m. Health & Social Services Committee 9:30 a.m. Planning & Public Works Committee 1:30 p.m. Administration & Finance Committee 9:30 a.m. Regional Council Meeting We welcome your feedback. Contact Access Halton at accesshalton@halton.ca 905-825-6000 · Toll free: 1-866-4HALTON · TTY: 905-827-9833 · www.halton.ca The Regional Municipality of Halton · 1151 Bronte Rd., Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 Wednesday, June 21