More pushback for federal daycare program

More and more are opting out of the $10/day plan

The federal government continues to face pushback regarding the $10-a-day program, as 14 daycares in Toronto announced last week that they were choosing to opt out.

While many centres jumped on the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) program right away, others had reservations and did not sign up or have since withdrawn from the program like the daycares in Toronto.

Ten dollars per day sounds like a win for parents, as it keeps fees low, but many have questions about why some centres are hesitant to get involved.

Melissa Coy, CEO and Administrator at Bayside Montessori School for over three decades, explains why her centre did not sign on when the option was presented.

Coy notes that many parents may not realise the impact the CWELCC program has on daycare operations, as choices regarding the quality of care and programs now require approval if a centre decides to join CWELCC.

She explains that this means impromptu opportunities and the ability to pivot to changes on the fly are no longer possible.

Coy recently reviewed a month’s budget, breaking down the funding from parents and the portion covered by the government.

She is not surprised to see centres in Toronto and across Canada withdrawing from the program and hopes the government is paying attention.

Daycares that choose to opt out of the $10-a-day program face significant challenges.

Although the program was initially optional, recent changes have made it appear punitive for those not participating, as government funding that daycares previously relied on has been cut off. Now, only daycares in the program can access this funding, which had been universally available for years.

For Bayside, Coy says they are fortunate to weather the storm — at least for now.

Coy acknowledges the backlash from parents when centres opt out or leave the program and hopes that increased awareness will help them understand the reasoning behind such decisions.

She also hopes the government will engage with the many daycares not participating in the $10-a-day program to explore alternative solutions rather than leaving them unsupported.

To learn more about Bayside Montessori School, visit their website here.