Ontario offers some good news and some good politic
There was some good news and some good old-fashioned politicking in the throne speech that Ontario’s Liberal government hopes will carry it through to the next election scheduled for 2018.
The good news comes in the form of an announcement that the province will create 100,000 new licensed child care spaces over the next five years, a badly needed initiative that will have long-term benefits for children and families.
The government estimates the operating costs for expanding child care at between $600 million and $750 million, plus considerably more for start-up costs. It’s a big number but it’s a big need, as well.
Ontario has licensed care spaces for only a fifth of its young children. Families are forced to join long wait lists to get their kids into decent care, and pay a big chunk of their income once they find it. The lack of affordable, reliable child care has even been identified as one of the principal causes of the stubborn pay gap between men and women.
The government expanded child care by 56,000 spaces over the past three years, so the new goal indicates it is significantly stepping up its efforts in this vital area. That’s all to the good, and it should have a big payoff down the line in well-being for children, young families and society as a whole.
Ontario offers some good news and some good politics
Increasing the supply of government job is always good for the economy. NOT.With most of the industry gone there is no need for free childcare.