Support Flexible, Extended‑Hours Child Care for Ontario Families
The Issue
Petition to the Government of Ontario
Attention: The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
Dear Premier Ford,
We, the undersigned, are calling for urgent action to expand flexible, extended‑hours child care across Ontario. Families today do not all work traditional 9–5 schedules. Many parents work evenings, nights, weekends, rotating shifts, or unpredictable hours, yet most child care programs still operate only during daytime hours.
Recent events have shown how fragile the current system is. Snow days in Kingston left parents scrambling for last‑minute care, forcing many to miss work or lose income. Back‑to‑office mandates for Ontario public servants disrupted child care routines overnight, leaving families with no options that matched their new schedules. Research from the C.D. Howe Institute and government reports confirm that while fees have dropped, waitlists have grown, and flexible care remains extremely limited.
Families who work non‑standard hours, including PSWs, nurses, retail and hospitality workers, gig workers, single parents, and students, deserve child care that supports their real‑life routines. Children deserve stability, safety, and consistent care regardless of the time of day their parents work.
We respectfully request that the Ontario Ministry of Education and child care organizations:
- Increase access to extended-hours child care, including early mornings, evenings, overnight, and weekends.
- Provide dedicated funding for centres willing to offer flexible scheduling.
- Support pilot programs that test flexible care models in communities with high demand.
- Ensure families working non-standard hours are included in future child care planning and policy development.
Flexible child care strengthens families, supports Ontario's workforce, and ensures children receive the high-quality care they deserve - no matter when their parents work.
We urge you to take action now.
Sincerely,
Parents, caregivers, students, and community members advocating for flexible child care in Ontario
29
The Issue
Petition to the Government of Ontario
Attention: The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
Dear Premier Ford,
We, the undersigned, are calling for urgent action to expand flexible, extended‑hours child care across Ontario. Families today do not all work traditional 9–5 schedules. Many parents work evenings, nights, weekends, rotating shifts, or unpredictable hours, yet most child care programs still operate only during daytime hours.
Recent events have shown how fragile the current system is. Snow days in Kingston left parents scrambling for last‑minute care, forcing many to miss work or lose income. Back‑to‑office mandates for Ontario public servants disrupted child care routines overnight, leaving families with no options that matched their new schedules. Research from the C.D. Howe Institute and government reports confirm that while fees have dropped, waitlists have grown, and flexible care remains extremely limited.
Families who work non‑standard hours, including PSWs, nurses, retail and hospitality workers, gig workers, single parents, and students, deserve child care that supports their real‑life routines. Children deserve stability, safety, and consistent care regardless of the time of day their parents work.
We respectfully request that the Ontario Ministry of Education and child care organizations:
- Increase access to extended-hours child care, including early mornings, evenings, overnight, and weekends.
- Provide dedicated funding for centres willing to offer flexible scheduling.
- Support pilot programs that test flexible care models in communities with high demand.
- Ensure families working non-standard hours are included in future child care planning and policy development.
Flexible child care strengthens families, supports Ontario's workforce, and ensures children receive the high-quality care they deserve - no matter when their parents work.
We urge you to take action now.
Sincerely,
Parents, caregivers, students, and community members advocating for flexible child care in Ontario
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Petition created on August 6, 2026