Education Minister, on a visit to London this past Thursday, took the opportunity to publicize earlier announced funding plans targeted at licensing 53,000 childcare spaces by 2026.
In a first, Minister Stephen Lecce disclosed the precise figure of childcare spaces allotted to London, made feasible through federal and provincial funding. Confirmation was given for 2,889 licensed childcare settings, marking a significant 28 per cent increment in spaces for the community’s children between zero and five.
Addressing his audience at La ribambelle, a French-language daycare set in South London, the Minister explained the government’s commitment, “We aim to reduce the financial burden on families while simultaneously broadening access to childcare availability across London.” He further stated, “Our government firmly believes that the expense of childcare should not equate to a mortgage payment. Bearing this in mind, we have already implemented a 50 per cent reduction in childcare fees on average and remain committed to establishing new childcare spaces in areas demonstrating the highest demand.”
His declarations formed part of larger plans encompassing a significant $13.2 billion federal-Ontario commitment. The key goal of this venture is to substantially reduce daycare fees for families, lowering daily costs to just $10 by September 2026.
