Catherine Fife MPP, Waterloo

TORONTO – Official Opposition NDP MPP Bhutila Karpoche (Parkdale – High Park) joined parents, providers and advocates outside Sunnyside Garden Daycare, calling on the province to immediately release the child care funding formula and provide emergency funding for this local daycare at risk of closure.  

“Never-ending funding delays from the province are putting families and child care providers in a difficult and uncertain position,” said Karpoche. “Child care providers need to know that they can keep the lights on, and parents need to know they can continue accessing reliable and affordable care in their communities.  

“Ford’s disorganized child care rollout has left centres like Sunnyside facing risk of closures and parents without any options – we need to see urgent action now.” 

Karpoche was joined by board members and parents from Sunnyside Garden Daycare as well as the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.  

Additional Quotes:  

Emily Elder, Parent at Sunnyside Garden Daycare 

“If this daycare closes, I will be less able to contribute fully to my workplace. I don’t know what that will mean for my career. But I know it will be harmful to my kids.” 

Joanna Mennie, Parent at Sunnyside Garden Daycare 

“Not knowing if or how this Centre will remain operational is a major source of uncertainty in our lives, and the shocking reality that our daycare may be forced to close its doors after nearly 40 years serving our children and our community is extremely distressing for our families. If this Centre were to close, it would be an incredible loss for our neighbourhood and would put my family, and many others, in a very difficult position.” 

Niiti Simmonds, Board Member at Sunnyside Garden Daycare 

“We are asking Premier Ford to release their new funding model now to ensure that the CWELCC program does what it was supposed to do – introduce affordable universal child care -- and not the opposite which it is currently doing, forcing our daycare to close and setting us up for failure.” 

Jessica Tomas, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care
 
"Child care operators need assurance that they will be able to make it to the finish line. The early learning community has been clear and eagerly awaits for the next Ontario funding formula to reflect actual costs, include decent compensation for workers, and demonstrate a genuine effort to make the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care system a reality for Ontario."