Childcare Leaders Nationwide Urge Premiers for a National Childcare Summit with the Government of Canada

Operators with on-the-ground experience seek transparent and honest dialogue with government officials to address the real-world impacts of the CWELCC Agreement

CALGARY, AB, CANADA, April 30, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Association of Alberta Childcare Entrepreneurs (AACE) hosted a National Conference for Advocacy that shed light on the pervasive challenges faced by childcare operators and families across Canada as a result of the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement. The sold-out conference was a crucial platform for voicing the industry's collective concerns, leading to a robust discussion on four topics: Waitlists and Access, Parental Choice, Childcare Quality, and Unintended Consequences of the CWELCC Agreement.

Highlights from the meeting include:
1. Waitlists and Access: Operators reported extensive and growing waitlists, highlighting the disparity between the CWELCC's promise of $10/day childcare and the reality that 70% of Canadian families cannot access childcare when needed, thereby failing the program's promise. This not only frustrates parents but also burdens operators with significant administrative overheads as they manage the fallout of a system that cannot meet demand and the need to continuously apologize on behalf of the government to desperate parents looking for solutions. Many operators recommended a more efficacious use of taxpayer money via the introduction of a sliding scale to accommodate different parent needs and capacities, which would reflect an income-tested eligibility of families; as opposed to a one-size fits all model.

2. Parental Choice: The CWELCC Agreement has been criticized for limiting parental choice, forcing families into state-sponsored, regulated child care that favours non-profit business models. This approach is seen as a move towards a homogenized model, crafted by discriminatory, social ideological government policies rather than reflecting the varied preferences of Canadian families. Many operators recommended that funding parents directly would give them true choice.

3. Childcare Quality: Childcare operators nationwide expressed deep concerns about CWELCC's lack of flexibility and long term underfunding, which will inevitably impact childcare quality. The fear of needing to cut program options and decrease staffing is a stark reality that could degrade the quality of care that families expect and rely upon. Limited access to qualified staff in early childcare education, coupled with inadequate funding to attract skilled professionals, significantly compromises the care children receive, potentially affecting developmental outcomes and overall well-being. This places additional stress on existing staff, leading to higher turnover rates and further destabilizing the care environment for children. Operators also felt that the cost and time for unpaid administrative burden have significantly eroded high quality care.

4. The Unintended Consequences of CWELCC: Many providers shared their experiences of frustration and burnout, feeling that their dedication and investment over the years are being undermined by the federal government's approach. The growing sentiment is that the continued path of the CWELCC might force seasoned operators out of the industry, leaving a significant gap in expertise and quality.

Krystal Churcher, Chair of AACE, summarized the sentiment shared by participants: "Regardless of the province or business model of the childcare centre, the consistent position was that the CWELCC agreement is not working as intended. It's forcing operators to make extremely difficult decisions ranging from stripping their programs down, to feeling a loss of control, resulting in some industry veterans determining whether they have the energy to stay and fight or whether they should simply leave the industry altogether. The National Conference reinforced the suspicion that the rollout of the CWELCC has caused significant challenges in every province in Canada, resulting ultimately in less access to affordable childcare for Canadian families, burnout and frustration among childcare operators, and overall harm to the industry."

Participants unanimously agreed that raising awareness among Canadian parents and families about the adverse effects of the CWELCC's haphazard rollout is crucial. Childcare operators - those who are on the ground feeling the actual impacts of the CWELCC Agreement rollout - are calling for a stronger stakeholder voice in discussions and urging Premiers to unite with industry to advocate for essential, meaningful changes to the program with the Government of Canada.

“While provincial Premiers have raised concerns about challenges with the CWELCC agreement to differing degrees, we are urging them to bring a firm and united voice on common challenges and to demand a more meaningful discussion that includes operators who are on the ground, feeling the pain,” continued Churcher.

“The Government of Canada has engaged with academics, researchers, consultants, and special interest groups to envision an ideal state for Canadian childcare. While these perspectives have been valuable for the first half of this program’s implementation, the success of the CWELCC Agreement must now address the practical challenges being faced daily by operators in an urgent basis.”

“We respectfully ask the Premiers to stand with us, ensuring our vital concerns are addressed before lasting damage is done to this essential industry. It is absolutely necessary to engage with frontline childcare operators when creating a national childcare program, as their firsthand experiences are indispensable for developing policies that directly address the real-world challenges and optimize care quality and accessibility across the board.”

Operators also discussed potential actions, including the possibility of rolling closures in some provinces, which will be considered if calls for a national summit are not taken seriously. Operators discussed various strategies that can be taken to highlight these issues to the broader public before it's too late, and were united in the belief that urgent action is required and that the industry would not sit idly by while damage was being done to the sector, impacting its ability to provide quality care.

Churcher added, "Operators nationwide were united in the need to take strong and decisive action to raise awareness of the many issues being faced by operators as a result of this program. While politicians sell this program as beneficial, they overlook extensive waitlists and the real impacts felt by operators. There was an overwhelming sentiment on the call that the industry needs to fight to save their sector before it's too late, and irreparable damage is caused that will have long-term consequences for parents and families, childcare operators, and, most concerning, the emotional well-being of children."

More information can be found at https://www.atwhatcost.info/

Krystal Churcher, Chair
Association of Alberta Childcare Entrepreneurs (AACE)
+1 780-838-3103
mrskchurcher@gmail.com
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