Quote Originally Posted by sunnydays View Post
Rachel, I see what you are saying...Ontario seems to have had less restrictions than most other provinces. BUT, there is one key difference, as Playfelt mentioned...full day kindergarten starts for kids aged 3.5 - 4 years old. We only have ages 1-3 in terms of full-time care. There is no half day kindergarten even. And school aged care here pays so little, it is hardly worth the trouble. So how can we fill our daycares if we are restricted to only 2 under 2 and the rest basically have to be between 2 and 3 and then they are off to shool (and all schools have to provide before and after care, so there is no shortage there).
Here, it's very common for parents to pull their children a year before school and send them to a registered pre-school program. So it ends up being the same as losing them to school around 3.5 to 4 years. Sure, it's not everyone who does that but I'd say 80% of parents do.

I know Ontario providers feel Bill 10 is unfair - even though their rates and numbers are much higher than elsewhere - but to be honest, it's really hard to be sympathetic when they have a potential of everyone else's reality. I'm not saying that to be mean, it's just you've had it so good for so long. It's kind of like Beyonce moaning she's down to her last $50 million. LOL

FT day care here for 10+ hours maxes out at $35.00. Most people are around $30.00. For that we have to include two snacks (a grain and fresh fruit for each) and a lunch.

Before and after school care is around $15.00.

We are allowed 6 regardless of if we are registered. This includes any household children until they are 12. A household child could be a step-child who comes one week a month but they are allocated a full space. If we have all school age children, we may have 8, including household children. A mixture and the max reverts to 6 max.

If know it's crap - welcome to the conditions the rest of us are earning in.

$30 a day x 6 children = $180 per day. For 12 hours, before business expenses, tax, CPP at 6%. That's $15.00 gross business income, if we are full, and if we don't have household children under age 12.

We too have the limits on no more than two under two PLUS no more than three under three meaning 3 of our 6 places must be filled with children who have had their third birthday. Once they get to 4, most parents pull their child for a pre-school program. Why? Honestly - because most of the time, families can't afford to stay in the Maritimes long term and so, their children have to be able to keep up with children in other provinces when they leave and head West. Since those provinces start their children in school younger than we do, parents worry if they have to head West for work that their child will be behind their new peers.

I wish I was more sympathetic but as said, Ontario providers are just seeing what the rest of us have been dealing with for years.