EXCERPTS:
PEEL-A task forced formed to oversee Peel's transition out of direct delivery of daycare is set for dissolution.
The nine-member group formally met for the last time Jan. 30 after more than a year in existence.
Before voting to dissolve the task force, politicians reviewed Peel's progress on its transition to service manager.
By June 30, 11 of 12 Peel daycares will be handed over to non-profit partners.
With its mandate complete, task force members on Feb. 13 will formally ask council to dissolve the group.
The main job of the task force was to engage undertake consultations with staff, parents and other stakeholders addressing proposed changes to the early learning system in Peel.
Politicians decided to form a Council Task Force after a 2012 staff recommendation to close Peel's 12 child-care centres (about 800 spaces) by September 2014 upset residents.
Parents accused councillors of doing a poor job reaching out the public and advising them of the proposed closures.
Politicians agreed and decided to form the group despite opposition from some councillors who argued the decision to close the centres was a foregone conclusion and forming the task force was merely for political show.
Faced with rising costs, human services staff argued the municipality would be more effective as a service manager, rather than provide the service outright.
Peel launched a daycare study after the province announced it would introduce all-day kindergarten by September 2014, which the region anticipated would lower demand for child-care.
The report issued in January 2012 recommended redirecting the $12 million the region spends on the centres to licensed non-profit and commercial daycares.
Doing so would allow more kids to receive a daycare subsidy.
But the backlash from residents prompted councillors to delay its decision upon further review. The task force is comprised of councillors Bonnie Crombie, Gael Miles, Elaine Moore, Paul Palleschi, Pat Saito, John Sprovieri, John Sanderson, Sandra Hames and Regional Chair Emil Kolb.
After months of meetings and stakeholder consultations, the task force in August 2012 upheld staff's original recommendation to shut down the municipal centres and transition the region to a service manager role.
Council backed the recommendation and decided to keep the task force together until the region's transition was near completion.
Last month, PLASP Child Care Services took control of Lancaster daycare centre in Malton.
The deal was the first of many currently under works as the municipality moves to get out of direct delivery of daycare.
Of the 12 municipal daycare centres, Peel is negotiating the transfer of 11 facilities in Brampton and Mississauga.
The Chinguacousy Learn Play Care Centre in Brampton, which offers evening care, will close for good.
Staff explained evening care services would be transferred down the road to Collegeside Learn.Play.Care. Child Care Centre, located at the Sheridan College Davis Campus in Brampton.
-reprinted from the Brampton Guardian