CCCF Urges Federal Government to Play Leadership Role in Ensuring Quality Child Care for Families

[March 20, 2007 – Ottawa, Ontario] The Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF) is pleased that the federal government will not rely solely on tax credits to businesses and will transfer funding to the provinces and territories to create much needed child care spaces. However, it points out that the $250-million promised in this budget does little to replace the $1.2 billion-that will be cut this year with the cancellation of the 2005 federal early learning and child care agreements.

CCCF urges the federal government to play a stronger leadership role in ensuring that Canadian families have access to quality child care. While provinces and territories have varying needs in terms of child care, there are fundamental similarities and common issues across the country that need to be addressed on a national level.

“Child care is about more than spaces. In every jurisdiction, there are major issues related to infrastructure support, training and wages and working conditions of child care practitioners and challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified staff. The federal government needs to play an active role in addressing these national issues and ensuring a national standard of quality across the country, said Don Giesbrecht, CCCF President.

CCCF is also hoping to see some evaluation and accountability built in to the new funding announced in this budget as it rolls out to ensure that at the end of the day, families are benefiting from more and improved child care services.

“There is a sense of urgency in child care settings across the country. Another year has gone by and no new spaces have been created. Waiting lists continue to grow and families needing child care are feeling more and more desperate," said Giesbrecht.

CCCF is disappointed about the time that has been lost by dropping the initial plan for spaces – the Child Care Spaces Initiative. It is concerned that the Minister's Advisory Committee report on the spaces plan has not been released, and is interested in hearing about the report’s recommendations and whether or not they will be accepted by the government.

CCCF is a vibrant partnership of 21 provincial/territorial child care organizations that represents over 11,500 members, including child care practitioners working in centres and family child care, academics, parents and policy makers. CCCF is committed to excellence in early learning and child care through best and promising practice, capacity building, and collaborations, networks and partnerships.

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Media contacts:

Claire McLaughlin
Publications Manager
(613) 729-5289 ext. 221; cmclaughlin@cccf-fcsge.ca

Don Giesbrecht
President
(204) 889-9858; cell: (204) 223-9369; don@assiniboinecc.org

Brigid Rivoire
Executive Director
(613) 729-5289 ext. 226; brivoire@cccf-fcsge.ca