›› Laurel Collins
As we begin to see businesses re-open and people returning to their workplaces, many parents are forced to make the difficult decision between going to work without reliable, quality childcare or taking care of their kids and passing up much needed work. Federal investment in universal childcare is essential to restarting the economy and it is essential if we value women’s participation in the workforce.
Prior to the pandemic, childcare was already the second biggest expense for families after housing and many parents were forced to delay their return to work because they could not find, or afford childcare. Before COVID-19, there were only enough licensed childcare spaces for one in four children under six. This pressure that so many parents experience is the result of inaction by Liberal and Conservative governments.
Now, due to COVID-19, women’s participation in the workforce is the lowest it has been in 30 years. This staggering, unacceptable fact should prompt swift action. Childcare is essential for restarting our economy, and while the government has put forward an economic recovery plan, the funding that has been allocated to childcare is simply not enough. Businesses, childcare experts, and economists agree that parents cannot go back to work without safe, reliable, and affordable childcare. We need to provide adequate funding and support to the provinces to ensure that everyone has access to childcare.
The federal government must step up. We need to invest $2.5 billion dollars if we want to build a universal and affordable childcare program – one that delivers help that families need and gives parents the choice to return to their jobs. Without childcare families will struggle. And, without these workers, businesses will struggle. Any economic recovery must include a robust, universal childcare plan.
