Parents speak out after Toronto daycare leaves national $10-a-day program

Parents Struggle as Toronto Daycare Exits $10-a-Day Program

Two months after Josclyn Johnson enrolled her 18-month-old daughter in daycare, the center announced its withdrawal from the national $10-a-day child care program. This decision left Johnson grappling with the prospect of paying a $2,310 monthly fee or leaving her job to care for her child.

“We’re sort of forced to stay in the daycare for now,” Johnson said, adding that she has been unable to secure a spot at another center offering reduced fees. Struggling to hold back tears, she reflected, “Today just feels pretty hopeless.”

Rising Fees Leave Parents Reeling

The daycare’s decision to leave the program was communicated through a letter to parents, citing operational challenges. Monthly fees for toddlers, previously subsidized to $928, are set to increase significantly starting January 1, with infant care fees reaching up to $2,565.

Parents at the center expressed frustration, sending a letter demanding a meeting and greater transparency about the decision. "This abrupt change, coupled with the tone of your communication, has conveyed a lack of empathy and transparency that falls far short of what we expect," they wrote.

Broader Impact Across Toronto

Sunnyside Day Care, which operates two locations in Toronto, is one of 14 centers in the city to announce their exit from the program following the province’s revised funding formula. Several of these centers appear connected through shared leadership, with two directors, Holton Hunter and John McCallum, linked to multiple facilities withdrawing from the program.

Despite parents’ outcry, Hunter and McCallum declined to comment on the specifics of other centers but issued a statement saying they hope for future changes to make the program more viable and flexible.

Government Response and Concerns

Ontario’s education minister acknowledged the challenges faced by parents but shifted focus to the federal government, urging increased funding for the national program. “I will continue to fight for affordable child care in this province for all families,” she said, expressing empathy for families in difficult situations.

The withdrawal of centers from the program has raised concerns among parents and child-care advocates, who argue that families have made financial and career decisions based on the subsidized fees. Critics also highlight the disproportionate impact on women, who are often the ones to leave the workforce when child care becomes unaffordable.

A System Under Strain

The $10-a-day child care initiative aimed to halve fees and eventually reduce them to $10 per day by 2026. However, operators have voiced concerns over the funding model, citing difficulties in maintaining financial sustainability while adhering to the program’s requirements.

While the majority of child-care centers in Ontario remain in the program, rolling closures and protests by some for-profit operators earlier this year underscored tensions between providers and the provincial government.

A Parent’s Perspective

For families like Johnson’s, the sudden fee hikes have upended carefully planned budgets. Another parent, Sarah Gaby-Trotz, managed to secure a spot at a different center but described the emotional toll of leaving Sunnyside, where her shy daughter had just begun to feel at home.

“She was just starting to march up to the daycare like it was hers...saying all the names of the kids in her class,” Gaby-Trotz said, holding back tears.

With many parents still scrambling for alternatives, the situation highlights the urgent need for solutions to sustain affordable child care for families across Ontario.