NDP says Ford needs to follow Manitoba and sign $10-per-day child care agreement

TORONTO — NDP Childcare critic Bhutila Karpoche released the following statement after news that Manitoba’s Conservative government has signed an agreement with Ottawa to bring in $10-per-day child care. Now, Quebec, British Columbia, Yukon, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador have all signed the deal, while Ontario parents are still waiting, and parents are paying the price:

“Why is Doug Ford dragging his feet, refusing to sign a deal with the federal government to give parents $10-per-day child care, while Ontario families are struggling to afford the high costs here? Ontario has the most expensive child care in the country. Families pay fees the size of mortgages.

Steven Del Duca and the Ontario Liberals had 15 years in government to help parents — and they chose to hike child care fees until they were the highest in the country. It’s far past time to undo that damage. Doug Ford needs to get moving and get Ontarians a deal now, rather than leaving federal money on the table.

The Ontario NDP is committed to working with the federal government to bring in a universal system of high-quality public and not-for-profit child care that costs families only $10 per day.”