Just say no to the expansion of for-profit child care

Beware of child care property development/leaseback schemes, proposals to expand for-profit child care and pressure to reduce quality standards.

Ottawa (3 March 2009) In the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 2008 Report Card on Child Care, Canada ranked last in a tie with Ireland among the 25 most economically advanced countries in a comparison of child care services. Despite the fact that 76% of Canadians support a national child care strategy, the federal government refused to address the issue of child care spaces in the Federal Budget 2009.

And now there are growing concerns among child care advocates that the federal government may be considering proposals by entrepreneurs and property developers to build child care centres and lease them back to governments or to other operators in exchange for public guarantees of the lease payments.

The Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada (CCAAC) has released a briefing note regarding this latest entrepreneurial scheme. The briefing note entitled “Not in the Public Interest: Private Development and other Entrepreneurial Child Care Schemes” is directed to elected and government officials.

In its open letter the CCAAC states, “The market approach and reliance on investment funds for the development of child care services have cost the Australian government and Australian parents dearly. Now entrepreneurs are attempting to import schemes from that country to ours. This is of great concern to those who seek improvement in the quality and affordability of child care in Canada.”

The CCAAC is urging Canadian governments to:

1. Beware of child care property development/leaseback schemes, proposals to expand for-profit child care and pressure to reduce quality standards.
2. Be proactive in advancing public policy that is accountable for quality, affordable, accessible child care.

The briefing note stresses the need for all levels of government to work to promote, support and advance a publicly funded child care system. It recommends direct funding of licensed child care programs that are accountable for reducing parent fees, raising wages for trained staff and building inclusive, community-owned spaces according to public priorities.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE