Child care in Canada

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has released a new report drawing attention to the insufficient availability of child-care spaces across Canada. The report shows the impact of  the shortage on families from diverse societal backgrounds who have children.

According to the recently published report, which was made public on Tuesday, a significant number of children in Canada face limited access to child-care facilities. Out of the 1.97 million children below the age required to enter kindergarten, approximately 946,000 find themselves residing in areas classified as "child-care deserts," where suitable child-care options are scarce or non-existent.

Based on the CCPA's estimation, there are approximately 759,000 full-time licensed child-care spaces available in Canada. However, the report reveals a significant demand-supply gap, with at least three children competing for a single spot in each postal code area. This translates to approximately 48 percent of families facing difficulties in accessing suitable child-care options.

Although the report does not provide a specific explanation for the disparity in child-care deserts across different regions, it does highlight a trend. Rural areas tend to be more susceptible to having child-care deserts compared to urban areas with a population exceeding 100,000 people.

The federal government's proposal to increase child-care spaces and reduce fees to $10 per day over five years offers some relief to parents. Nevertheless, the report cautions that these measures may not fully address all the challenges associated with child-care access. It emphasizes the need for additional strategies to comprehensively improve child-care availability and affordability.

The CCPA has outlined seven key recommendations to address the child-care challenges. These include prioritizing non-profit child-care services, addressing the shortage of early childhood educators, and implementing regulations to ensure affordable care is maintained. By focusing on these areas, the CCPA believes significant strides can be made in improving child-care.