TORONTO—The Provincial and Federal Governments of Canada, have signed a $13.2 billion agreement aimed at lowering childcare costs in Ontario to an average of $10 a day by September 2025.
President of Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association, Patrick Daly, expressed his reaction to the government’s announcement saying that, “Many Catholic schools across this province are places where families depend on for before - and after-school child care for their children. Today's important agreement will make child care options for families more accessible and sustainable.”
Daly shared that OCSTA has been advocating for more high-quality affordable child care spaces in Ontario for quite some time. This announcement in his view supports the organization’s goal. "OCSTA has consistently advocated for more high-quality child care spaces in Ontario. Today we are pleased to see that new funding under this agreement will support this goal by providing for the creation of approximately 86,000 child care spaces for children five years old and younger."
The spiritual, emotional and mental well-being of children was identified by Daly as a key priority that for Catholic schools in Ontario will continue to be a focus that OCSTA believes will lead to higher levels of student success and achievement.
With both levels of Government providing this funding, it is expected that it will not only improve the accessibility and affordability of child care in Ontario, but as voiced by OCSTA, it will also provide for the well-being of children mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
The Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association, founded in 1930, and represents the interests of Catholic school boards, is the provincial voice for publicly funded Catholic education, that collectively educate some 600,000 students from JK-to grade 12, in Ontario.