MPP Bobbi Ann Brady's Weekly Column

By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady

As a parent, I have wonderful memories of raising my children. Now I bask in pride looking at the great young adults they have become. But parenting isn’t easy, it is hard work. Rewarding work, but it is hard work.

Unfortunately, in Haldimand-Norfolk the job of parenting has become harder when it comes to accessing quality, licensed childcare. Children are the future and if finding childcare in Haldimand-Norfolk remains a challenge, I fear parents are going to be increasingly pressured into moving to parts of the province with more childcare spaces.

Increasingly, parents have been alerting me the local demand for childcare is far and above the supply. I should preface this by noting that progress has been made lowering the cost of childcare by the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program (CWELCC). Ontario joined forces with the federal government implementing CWELCC, and as of January 2025, CWELCC-enrolled programs have a maximum fee of $22 per day charged to parents. According to Ontario government stats, the current average cost of childcare in our province is $19 per day.  Ontario is working toward an average of $10 per day but I do not believe it will ever come to fruition. But as a parent recently wrote, “For us parents, the central question is: What good is affordable childcare if there is no space available?”

So, Ontario has accomplished getting the cost down some but still has big work ahead in terms of creating enough sustainable places where families really require them such as in our area. According to the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services website, the provincial government has committed to creating 86,000 net new licensed spaces for children under six by December 31, 2026, but has a long way to go as, according to June 2026 media reports, only 54,000 spots have been created since 2019.

The government also adjusted how CWELCC operators are funded. Ontario introduced a cost-based funding model in January 2025 to fund the costs of operating childcare. I’ve been told by parents and CWELCC operators that there are questions about whether this new funding structure is workable.

A parent provided me a summary of what families are facing:

• Extremely long waitlists and uncertain timelines for obtaining a space (CWELCC centres within Haldimand-Norfolk are operating at full capacity and have wait times exceeding 19 months.)
• Difficulty finding infant and toddler spaces
• Parents having to remain on multiple waitlists
• Parents delaying a return to work or reducing their working hours
• Families relying on relatives, informal care or arrangements that may not meet their needs
• Parents being unable to plan employment, finances and family life because they do not know when—or whether—they will obtain a space

Haldimand-Norfolk prides itself on our quality of life. As I said earlier, children are the future. But parents are also the future and are critical to building our local economy. This childcare shortage could mean parents heading to greener pastures due to compromised professional advancement. Not to mention potential local workforce shortages when a parent must stay at home, and diminished consumer spending at our small and large businesses.

While cost of childcare was once front and centre for parents, cost is now a moot point for those who cannot access it. It’s time to revisit the entire CWELCC program so that it serves families in all jurisdictions. The government’s formula simply isn’t working.

Bobbi Ann Brady is the MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk