For Immediate Release July 29, 2005
McGUINTY GOVERNMENT EXPANDS BEST START PLAN FOR CHILDREN
An Estimated 185 New Child Care Spaces in Kingston and The Islands Easing the Financial Burden on Municipalities
KINGSTON — The McGuinty government is improving access to high quality, convenient child care for many more families in this community by delivering an unprecedented investment in early child development, while relieving communities across Ontario of their share of the cost of operating new child care spaces, MPP John Gerretsen announced today on behalf of Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Anne Chambers.
“Our government’s Best Start Plan will give Ontario’s children the best possible start in life and help parents balance the demands of work and family,” said Chambers. “We are investing new funds dedicated to child care to provide more licensed spaces and subsidies.”
The province is delivering to Kingston and The Islands approximately $8.79 million in federal funds over three years, beginning this year, to implement the Best Start Plan. This funding will expand the number of licensed childcare spaces in the Kingston area by an estimated185 slots by the end of 2007-08.
As part of a recent agreement with the federal government, across Ontario the province is delivering about $1.1 billion in federal funds over three years for Best Start. The province is also easing a major cost pressure on municipalities by waiving municipal cost sharing on all new child care funding beginning in 2005-06 for the duration of two federal-provincial agreements. This move will save Kingston $1.65 million over three years. Municipalities across Ontario will save more than $208 million over three years.
The $1.1 billion investment will expand the number of licensed child care spaces by approximately 25,000 by the end of 2007-08, increase access to subsidies, attract and retain qualified child care workers and develop other early learning and child care supports. This is in addition to the more than 4,000 new subsidized childcare spaces the province created in 2004-2005.
“Today’s investment is more than an increase in child care spaces, it’s about rebuilding the link between child care, public health and education, it’s about ensuring that children in the Kingston area are given every opportunity to succeed, said Gerretsen. “This announcement continues to demonstrate our governments commitment to better beginnings for the lives of Kingston and Ontario’s children.”
Ontario’s Best Start Plan, when fully implemented, will include:
A massive expansion of child care, predominantly in Ontario’s publicly funded schools, More child care subsidies so that more families can access these child care spaces, Best Start neighbourhood early learning and care hubs, conveniently located, that provide one-stop services for families Universal newborn screening, and ongoing screening and services, to identify needs and provide vital developmental supports and a comprehensive 18 month well-baby checkup.“This is the largest investment in child care and early child development in Ontario’s history. It reflects a new commitment to Ontario’s young people, and is consistent with our government’s priorities of health, education and economic prosperity,” said Chambers.
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