Hamilton Centre MPP Andrea Horwath said the movement to expand public, not-for-profit child care in Ontario is far from over, despite the 41-11 vote today that defeated her private members bill that would put Ontario’s under-funded, patchwork system on track.

Horwath expressed concern after the McGuinty Liberals sided with Conservatives today to block Bill 26 that aims to boost the availability of not-for-profit child care and prevent new, for-profit operators from obtaining provincial licences and qualifying for public subsidies.

“Just like the Conservatives, the McGuinty Liberals don’t support not-for-profit child care expansion,” Horwath said. “They are opening up Ontario to big box day care corporations and other new commercial providers. That’s like throwing made-in-Ontario, public child care expansion out the window.”

Horwath’s bill called for amending the Day Nurseries Act to ensure that only child care in the non-profit sector is eligible for licensing and public funding. Existing for-profit centres would not be affected.

Horwath said the McGuinty government has made a huge mistake by abandoning non-profit child care, which is the most cost effective, affordable and highest quality option for children and their families.

“Commercial centres have to make a profit, so they cut costs and increase fees to parents. All credible studies confirm that not-for-profit child care provides the highest quality early learning environment for children the most affordably. Where Quebec has an excellent universal child care program priced at $7 a day, parents in Ontario must pay up to $55 a day if they can find a space at all. Waiting lists in Ontario are two years’ long,” Horwath said.

Horwath plans to launch a province-wide drive to get the McGuinty government to reverse its position and support non-profit child care expansion. The NDP Critic for Children and Youth Services says she can’t understand why Ontario hasn’t followed Quebec’s lead to develop a universal public program.

“Quebec announced an additional $600 million for public child care in its 2008 budget on March 13. In the Ontario budget, there’s no line item for child care,” Horwath said.