The Association of Canadian Early Learning Programs (ACE National) says yesterday’s report from Ontario’s Auditor General confirms what families and operators have long argued: the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system, known as the $10-a-day program, is unsustainable and failing to meet families’ needs.
The Auditor noted that the government will likely need to revise its plans to meet the $10-a-day target by March 2026. ACE National says the rules governing the program are disconnected from the realities of families and childcare operators.
Many of the Auditor’s 11 recommendations, according to the association, reflect ACE National’s positions including calls for a fair and predictable funding model, reduced administrative burdens, and effective strategies to recruit and retain early childhood educators.
ACE National, a coalition of for-profit and non-profit childcare operators representing 162,000 childcare spaces nationwide, is urging governments to go further: reinstate wage enhancements for all staff, expand eligibility to private operators who can help meet growth targets, and allow licensed providers to offer optional value-added services without penalty.
“Families cannot afford further delays or half-measures,” ACE National said. “Both federal and provincial governments must work together to deliver on affordability while ensuring sustainability for operators and access for families.”
More information is available at aacenational.ca.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
