Doug Ford says Ontario close to child-care deal; province is last to strike an agreement
Ontario is close to a child-care deal with the federal government, Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday, as his province remained the only jurisdiction without a deal with Ottawa for $10-a-day child care.
Ford told radio station Q104 Kenora that he is confident Ontario will reach an agreement.
"We're very, very close," he said. "I'm confident we're going to strike a deal that's going to be beneficial for everyone in Ontario."
His comments come after a deal announced Monday with Nunavut leaves Ontario as the last holdout on a child-care deal.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that he is optimistic the government can reach a deal with Ontario.
"We have been ready to reach an agreement with Ontario for many, many months now," he said. "The frame of the agreement has been set out for a long time."
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Monday that the province is pushing for more than the $10.2 billion on offer from Ottawa to ensure that fees can be reduced to $10 a day since Ontario families pay some of the highest prices in the country for care.
Lecce said that Ontario is also making the case that families who send their children to either not-for-profit or independent child-care settings should benefit from the fee reductions.
The education minister has also previously said that he wants to ensure that any deal will last longer than five years, and that Ottawa's offer doesn't take into account the $3.6 billion a year that the province spends on full-day kindergarten for four- and five-year-old children.
Families, Children and Social Development Minister Karina Gould said Monday that the agreements are specifically about early learning and child care.
"We've been very clear from the beginning that kindergarten is beyond the scope of the agreement," she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 25, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Live updates: What star witness in Trump hush money case has said on the stand so far
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
'Be very, very careful': Wildfire conditions 'still extreme,' says Alberta fire chief
As wildfire conditions remain 'extreme' in northern Alberta, residents are being urged to be extra cautious and follow a fire ban.
Wildfire smoke drifts across Canada, over parts of U.S., prompting air quality advisories
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Canucks' Zadorov fined $5,000 for post-game crosscheck on Oilers' McDavid
A Vancouver Canucks defenceman has been given the highest possible fine under the NHL's collective bargaining agreement after a scrum broke out at the end of Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers Sunday night.
COMING UP @ 3:30 P.M. City of Ottawa negligent in allowing Uber to operate outside of taxi bylaw, judge rules
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
Jerry Seinfeld speech prompts pro-Palestinian demonstration at U.S. university graduation ceremony
A tiny contingent of Duke University graduates opposed pro-Israel comedian Jerry Seinfeld speaking at their commencement in North Carolina Sunday, with about 30 of the 7,000 students leaving their seats and chanting "free Palestine" amid a mix of boos and cheers.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.