City says Hamilton parents will save $9,100 per child under new plan

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Published February 21, 2023 at 10:51 am

city of hamilton child care $10 canada ontario daycare day care childcare andrea horwath
The City of Hamilton estimates residents will save $9,100 per child in 2023 under the Canada-wide early learning child-care plan.

With Ontario opting in to the Canada-wide early learning child-care plan in December, the City of Hamilton estimates residents will save $9,100 per child in 2023.

The City confirmed that families saved approximately $3,600 per child in 2022. This year, the government will kick an additional 37 per cent into the program.

“These savings are game-changing for Hamilton families, particularly for women,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “Child care is a critical component to Hamilton’s economic recovery and directly impacts participation in the labour market. This is a significant step forward in helping Hamilton families with the growing cost of living while savings are ultimately reinvested back into our economy.”

“It is a big win.”

The Canada-Ontario early learning and child care agreement is a five-year deal to reduce child care fees in the short term, deliver $10-a-day child care by 2026, and create 86,000 new licensed early learning and child care spaces in the province. Early childhood educators will also see their pay increased — up to $25 an hour.

According to the City, 96 per cent of licensed child-care operators in Hamilton signed up to participate in the program. Last November, the City announced that only eight of Hamilton’s 223 early child-care operators had not opted in.

Horwath says City Council is “committed to further growing this program so that even more families may benefit.”

city of hamilton child care $10 canada ontario daycare day care childcare andrea horwath

Operators choosing not to participate in the program were required to notify families and staff in writing.

The federal government has committed $30 billion over five years to improve child-care affordability and accessibility in participating provinces.

Hamilton has highlighted four communities requiring a “deeper review” of its child-care offerings. They include the East End, East Mountain, Central Mountain, and Downtown Centre. The City says it will focus on expansion in these areas over the next few years.

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