Parents in Niagara Region May Lose Child Care Spaces If Conservatives Refuse To Act
“The lack of child care spaces due to staffing concerns is a problem right across Ontario and that includes the Niagara region” – Wayne Gates, NDP MPP for Niagara Falls Riding
A News Release from the Constituency Office of Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates
Posted January 16th, 2024 on Niagara At Large
Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates on his feet in the Ontario legislature. file photo
NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario – NDP MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls riding) is sounding the alarm about the availability of child care spaces in Niagara region, after hearing from concerned parents who may be facing a permanent reduction in before-and-after-school child care at a Boys and Girls Club in Niagara.
“The lack of child care spaces due to staffing concerns is a problem right across Ontario and that includes the Niagara region,” said Gates.
“My office worked with the Boys and Girls Club at Riverview Public School to find a temporary solution to ensure they can continue to operate, but this a bigger structural problem.”
“Stagnant wages and overwhelming workloads are making it impossible for organizations to retain staff. Without a stable funding model from the Conservatives, this Boys and Girls Club might be forced to permanently reduce available space, leaving local families with less options for affordable child care.”
The YMCA – Ontario’s largest provider of child care services – has been sounding the alarm during pre-budget hearings that they face imminent closures in child care centres (https://www.ontariondp.ca/news/ndp-child-care-crisis-ford-withholds-critical-resources-child-care-spaces) if the province doesn’t step in to provide adequate resources. Marit Stiles and the Ontario NDP have echoed their calls for an immediate full cost recovery model to shore up support.
“We know that this challenge is not isolated to just one child care program in Niagara, and we fear the problem could grow and affect more before-and-after-school programs,” said Gates.
“It’s not a sustainable model and we know that child care workers are burnt out. We have the solutions to help – and the Ontario NDP will keep advocating for them.”
NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.
“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders
Niagara At Large 