Ontario has written to parents across the province almost a year before its provincial-federal $10-a-day child-care agreement may need to be renewed, saying it wants to see Ottawa extend the agreement.
The letter was sent by Education Minister Paul Calandra to child care centres in the province to distribute to parents on Tuesday, as the federal election campaign enters its final, frenzied stretch.
In the letter, seen by Global News, Calandra said Ontario had “informed the federal government” it would like to see $10-a-day child care renewed. The current agreement, he wrote, is set to expire at the end of March 2026.
“At this point, the federal government has not indicated its willingness to fully fund its portion to deliver on its promise of $10/day child care in Ontario,” the letter said.
Without federal funding, fees could rise above $22 per day beginning next year and “continue to rise thereafter,” Calandra’s letter said.
Ontario was the last province to sign onto a $10-a-day child-care deal with former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government in March 2022. The deal was worth $13.2 billion, the two governments said at the time.
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The ongoing federal election means it’s not yet clear who would be responsible for renewing Ontario’s child-care deal.
Calandra’s letter did not reference the political parties vying to win the next election but said Ontario was “hopeful” the federal government would “step up” with a renewal.
The latest Ipsos polling for Global News shows Liberal Leader Mark Carney three points ahead of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, a lead that’s within the margin of error.
The NDP was in third place at 12 per cent, with the Green Party and People’s Party of Canada each at two per cent. The Bloc Québécois was at 25 per cent in Quebec, which translates to five per cent nationally.
The Liberal platform says it would “protect and strengthen” $10-a-day child care and increase support for public and non-profit centres. The Conservative party’s platform promises to “honour existing deals” with provinces and territories to provide $10-a-day child care.
A Liberal spokesperson said the party would extend childcare deals until 2031 if re-elected. The Conservatives did not immediately respond to questions from Global News about Calandra’s letter.
The timing of the letter to all parents before voters go to the polls also puts the spotlight back on how the Ford government is handling the current election.
Asked about the letter in the context of the federal election on Wednesday, Calandra said he wanted a “firm commitment” from the next government on child care.
“The reason for the letter going out now is that I’ve directed my ministry that we need to be open and up front with parents at every stage over the next year,” he said. “I was just unwilling to wait for the end of an election; I want parents to know what the situation is now.”
Calandra said he hadn’t spoken to the parties about their commitments on child care directly.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford initially said he didn’t want his ministers or MPPs to get involved with the federal election, but later allowed Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney to endorse the Conservative party leader.
His campaign manager has also been critical of how the federal campaign has been run, remarks Ford backed partway through the campaign, saying, “sometimes the truth hurts.”
The federal election will be held on Monday, April 28.
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