Outside of fee subsidies for lower/moderate income families, the subsidization of daycare by
government is not reported.
But data (from the government and from the daycare lobby organization the Childcare Resource and
Research Unit run by Martha Friendly) show that PROVINCIAL funding per
“regulated child care space” averages $3,792/yr Canada-wide.
IF this money was distributed equally to each child 0-12 this would be only $752
http://www.ecd-elcc.ca/eng/ecd/ececc/page18.shtml#tbl7bot
http://www.ecd-elcc.ca/eng/ecd/ececc/page18.shtml#tbl21bot
THIS MEANS that much money is spent on a few kids – VERY UNFAIR. Of course most kids/families
get $0 of this, though even the $752 would be NICE
The TOTAL Canada-wide spent by PROVINCES on “regulated child care” 2009-10 was
$3,496,527,631
http://www.ecd-elcc.ca/eng/ecd/ececc/page18.shtml#tbl7bot
On top of the PROVINCIAL money, the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT spend money on military and
first nations reserve daycare
Federal money for “aboriginal ECEC programs” 2008/09 was
$164.7 M
http://www.childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/state_ecec_canada_2010_CRRU.pdf (see also below)
ALSO the federal government subsidizes non-parental child care to age 16 through the “Child Care
Expense Deduction”: $7,000 ages 0-6 , $4,000 ages 7-16 deduction for non-parental child care costs.
SO the TOTAL is
$3,661,227,631
+spending on military daycare
+Child Care Expense Deduction costs
+local government expenditures
PLEASE NOTE:
“regulated childcare” includes daycare centres and government regulated and licensed preschool AND
licensed family daycare.
Including preschool and regulated family daycare is how they are able to say there is a “regulated child
care space” for 20% of kids – actually licensed daycare centre space is much lower
http://www.ecd-elcc.ca/eng/ecd/ececc/page18.shtml#tbl16bot
http://www.ecd-elcc.ca/eng/ecd/ececc/page18.shtml#tbl17bot
The BEST breakdown is from a CRRU document
http://www.childcarecanada.org/sites/default/files/state_ecec_canada_2010_CRRU.pdf (same as above)
SOME ‘SPACES’ are subsidized WAY WAY more than others. For example, licensed centre space for
baby is highest, while regular family daycare receives far less subsidy.
So there is much funding discrimination against kids, parents, and daycare workers even within the
daycare sector.
kidsfirstcanada.org 