Government inaction on Child Care is hurting Canada’s economy

OTTAWA – More than 75 percent of Canadian mothers are in the work force but only 20 percent of children under five years old, have access to high-quality, affordable and accessible child care and early learning, says New Democrat Child Care Critic Olivia Chow.

“Canada literally cannot work without child care,” said Chow. “Why aren’t the Harper Conservatives getting the message?”

Chow was responding to the newly released Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada 2008, the eighth bi-annual report of the Childcare Resource and Research Unit.

Chow pointed out that investment in child care is the best stimulus plan in an economic slowdown. It boosts productivity by allowing parents the freedom to find and hold down jobs.

Chow is urging the government to:

• enact the Private Members Bill she introduced into the House of Commons (April 29, 2009) to create a national high-quality, affordable, accessible and non-profit child care program;
• dramatically increase the investment in child care in the upcoming Budget; and
• take a leadership role in facilitating the sharing of best practices between all provinces and territories.

The report also indicated that while many provinces are willing and ready to provide support to working families, without federal funding , they cannot implement a universal child care program.