This issue is particularly an Ontario-wide problem within the education system. These expensive child care fees target and affect the families and parents who pay for their children to have access to child care whether it may be a before and after school program or preschool. . Our goal is to have our efforts heard and seen and advocate for a geared to income option for child care

In the child care system fees are based on what age group the child is and whether it is full-time or part-time. According to the Government of Ontario’s Licensed Child Care Survey, median monthly fees were $1,320 for an infant, $1,080 for a toddler and $940 for a preschooler. (2019) A 2019 national survey of child care fees, found that Ontario cities had the highest median full-time center-based and regulated home child care infant fees in the country at $1,774 a month or $21,288 annually (Childcare Resource and Research Unit and Canadian Union of Postal Workers, 2021).  Some might argue that there are options out there such as child care subsidies for families who can't afford these fees. Although this sounds like a great idea the requirements make it hard to do so. Maximum subsidies are provided to families with monthly incomes below $1,640 if they have one child under 18 years of age. This threshold is increased by $100 for each  additional child under 18 (Kozicka, 2016). Therefore, in order to be considered for this your monthly income would need to be below $1,640. An average salary for someone in Ontario is $49,088 making their monthly income $4,090.67 (Canadianvisa.org, 2020). With the covid-19 pandemic these numbers have changed significantly. An average working two parent household might still not meet these subsidy requirements. The income might be good and seem like they can afford it but you need to take into consideration the water bill, the car bills, food bill, electricity bill, phone bills, etc. 

The Government of Ontario (Ministry of Education) has the authority to make the change we are looking for. We need our voices heard and with your signatures we can make a difference! 

Canadianvisa.org. (2020, February 2). Canada’s Median Household Income For Each Province - Canadianvisa.org. Https://Canadianvisa.Org https://canadianvisa.org/life-in-canada/facts/household-income

Childcare Resource and Research Unit and Canadian Union of Postal Workers. (2021, February 8). Ontario. Findingqualitychildcare. https://findingqualitychildcare.ca/ontario

Kozicka, P. (2016, October 13). Child-care subsidies: What parents in every province need to know. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/2985338/child-care-subsidies-what-parents-in-every-province-need-to-know/