EXCERPTS
Parents take the hit as child-care fees climb, Dec. 12
I would like to add my personal experience to this article about the prohibitive cost of child care. As a single parent, I have been granted a subsidy towards daycare for my son. This downtown daycare, run by a dedicated staff, costs more than $2,000 a month. To say I was shocked when I found this out would be a massive understatement.
My son is 10 months old and appears to be happy there. But my subsidy will expire in March and will be removed if I am unable to secure full-time employment. If this happens, I will have to look after him full time and be without an income, pushing me into financial hardship.
Without an imminent and strong cap on fees, they will only become further out of reach for ordinary people, with long-term consequences for families.
I will be meeting with my MPP in the New Year to discuss how to push for a Quebec-style change to this situation. It is untenable and unethical.
Nimira Lalani, Toronto
-reprinted from Toronto Star