Our government has expanded the availability of child care through the creation of more than 22,000 new licensed child-care spaces in the last four years –a remarkable accomplishment given that Prime Minister Stephen Harper cancelled the federal agreement to provide funding for child care in Ontario.

The last payment from the federal child care agreement runs out in March 2010. The Ontario government stepped in with a provincial investment of $18 million to provide stability for families with kids in child care. This investment gives municipalities the support they need to maintain spaces through the current school year into the summer. Our government didn’t want mid-school year disruptions in child care arrangements for families.

We need the federal government at the table to help sustain the progress we’ve made. We are just not in a position to step in every time the federal government steps away from their child care responsibilities. Child care providers understand that we can’t forward money that we haven’t received from the federal government.

I encourage families, advocates and municipalities to continue their efforts in calling on the federal government to restore this funding.

Liz Sandals, MPP Guelph