Children and Childcare

Affordable, good quality childcare is essential for the health of our children and our city's future.

The Toronto statistics are staggering:

• 1 in 3 children lives in poverty;


• Over 14,000 children approved for subsidized childcare are awaiting spaces;


• In 2002 the City cut 1,616 subsidized spaces and expects to cut a further 700 in 2003;


• The number of available childcare subsidies is at the lowest it's been in seven years;


• The Province has cut funding to childcare in Toronto by $12 million annually since 1999.

Lack of subsidized housing, a low minimum wage and no increase in the number of childcare spaces (subsidized or not) are among the factors contributing to this crisis.

Although Provincial downloading and cutbacks directly affect quality of life for children and families, there are things that Humanize Toronto would do towards improving the current situation and the future for our children:

• Increase funding to childcare centres to reflect their real operating costs.


• Lead the way in childcare. By considering childcare as critical to the health and prosperity of our city, Toronto can influence the provinces and federal government to develop a national childcare system.

In a humanized Toronto, children would be considered full citizens of the City, have their human rights protected and their basic needs met, just like their parents.