"Whereas Council received the attached Motion from the City of St. Catharines in relation to the National Childcare Program.
Therefore Be it Resolved that the Council of the City of North Bay endorses and supports the Motion made by the Council of the City of St. Catharines regarding the National Childcare Program.
And Further be it Resolved that a copy of this motion be sent to Premier Doug Ford, Andrea Horwath, Leader of the Ontario NDP Party, Steven Del Duca, Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, MP Anthony Rota, MPP Victor Fedeli, Ontario Municipal Social Services Association, Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the City of St. Catharines and the ten Municipalities in the District of Nipissing."
Recorded Vote Upon the Request of Councillor B. Vrebosch:
Yeas: B. Vrebosch, Valenti, Brousseau, Bain, Mendicino, Maroosis, Robertson, King, Mayne, Mayor McDonald.
Nays: Nil
December 1, 2021
The Honourable Doug Ford, M.P.P.
Premier of Ontario
Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Sent via email: premier@ontario.ca
Re: National Childcare Program
Our Files:
Dear Premier Ford,
At its meeting held on November 15, 2021, St. Catharines City Council approved the following motion:
“WHEREAS the province of Ontario has the most expensive childcare in the country, presenting a financial hardship for many families and a barrier for women’s full economic participation; and
WHEREAS the $34 billion early learning and childcare spending commitment announced this year by the federal government will bring transformative change to childcare by lowering parent fees and expanding the supply of regulated not-for-profit and public childcare in this country; and
WHEREAS the federal government has already reached childcare agreements with BC, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec; and
WHEREAS the provisions of each agreement vary to some degree, but the majority of the jurisdictions have agreed to use the federal funds to:
(a) lower parent fees by 50 per cent by the end of 2022 and to $10 a day by 2025-26 or sooner;
(b) improve the wages and working conditions of early childhood educators, and
(c) publicly fund the expansion of not-profit and public childcare;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of St. Catharines request that the provincial government take the necessary steps to work with the federal government on a bilateral agreement to ensure the new national child care program be made available to Ontarians, and that it focuses on increased access, affordability, quality and responsiveness, all of which are essential to the COVID-19 pandemic response; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff actively monitor federal developments and engage in provincial and regional discussions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that City Council request the City Clerk circulate Council's decision to other municipalities in Ontario, the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.”
If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the City Clerk at extension 1524.
Bonnie Nistico-Dunk, City Clerk
Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk
:mb
cc: Niagara Area MPPs
Ontario Municipal Social Services Association
Ontario Municipalities
Association of Municipalities of Ontario, amo@amo.on.ca