The Premier has no plans to extend the provincial child care subsidy, provided since daycares closed due to COVID-19, beyond June 26th.

That’s raised concerns among child care operators and parents as child care centres will only be able to operate at 70 per cent capacity once the province moves to Alert Level Three on Monday.

Gail Sullivan, the owner of Happy Days Day Care, says many parents tell operators they will not be bringing their children back amid lingering health concerns and having to pay for services they may not need, or have access to at this time.

Premier Ball told reporters yesterday that the subsidy will end on June 26th.

He indicates they want to work closely with child care operators to ensure that spaces are open for parents who need the service as they return to the workplace.

Province has Highest Rate of Private Childcare Operators in Country: Jimmy Pratt Foundation

The Jimmy Pratt Foundation says the province needs a not-for-profit child care system to address some of the issues currently facing families.

The Jimmy Pratt Foundation is a private family foundation, established in 2010, to contribute to projects and programs that support a healthy, inclusive and resilient society, while helping youth at risk.

Robyn Legrow, the Executive Director of the Jimmy Pratt Foundation, says over 65 per cent of all child care operations in the province are privately run, the highest percentage in the country.

She says most provinces in Canada have a mostly not-for-profit, or an entirely not-for-profit system.

Legrow says now is as good a time as any to bring in a universal child care system, by asking private operators to move to a not-for-profit model, as was done in PEI a few years ago.

She says parents should not be expected to continue to work from home because they can’t avail of child care options. She calls that expectation “unreasonable.”