Could there be changes to the CCEYA?

[cfred]

When I support the Coop, I mean fill in the surveys, etc that help us to gather data and put together our proposal. That has been the biggest frustration and the most work...getting people to participate. You may feel that you're not involved, but you can be on some level. Next week is the big meeting...our biggest I think. We're pitching the idea to the head of the Early Years Division and in front of agency big wigs (who are as hostile to us in person as they are in the media, btw). A tremendous amount of work has gone into this, with my portion being quite humble compared to others.

Yes, that amount is nothing to sneeze at. However, it is a far cry better than $12,000/yr.

So far as raising rates, I know it can be more difficult in some areas, I'm aware of that. I simply threw it out there as an example of what you can do to make the fees more manageable. We know not everyone will join the Coop, and that' completely fine. We have a fairly specific demographic. The question to ask yourself is this "Is this an option I might appreciate in the future?" The advocates will never stop pushing us down...ever. Every time there's an infant death, we'll be on the front pages and our sector takes another hit. They are and will continue to work to push us out of the industry. Were any of you even notified of the new bill when they started consultation on it several years ago? How many of you didn't hear about it till it hit the news? The agencies knew and were heavily involved in the creation of the new legislation, from it's inception! Go read some articles, talk to other ICPs involved in this, read up on folks like Martha Friendly, Marni Flaherty, members of HCCAO, CBCC. THESE have been the influences over the government's leanings for years. CICPO is in there now, and the MOE is interested. If you don't want to participate in the Coop, fine. But really, support the people who are representing you and working to change the image of independent care for ALL of you...even those who don't want to join the Coop.

[babydom]

My worry is if we are "forced" into the coop eventually. Because we can't fill spots because parents want providers attached to the coop or for other reasons. Or I want to join but As a single mom with a full daycare I am extremely tight. Even if I raise my rates, which I can't because I'm already on the high end how do I afford the coop fee??? It may just be 700-1000$ to most caregivers but to me, even 58-83$ a mth is hard. I dont have that.

[lplplp]

My worry is if we are "forced" into the coop eventually. Because we can't fill spots because parents want providers attached to the coop or for other reasons. Or I want to join but As a single mom with a full daycare I am extremely tight. Even if I raise my rates, which I can't because I'm already on the high end how do I afford the coop fee??? It may just be 700-1000$ to most caregivers but to me, even 58-83$ a mth is hard. I dont have that.

I agree. If the co-op is approved and comes to light sooner than later, my own children could still be under 6 which leaves me only 3 daycare spaces. I've had an 'over 2' space sitting empty for quite a while now. With only 2 daycare children, there's no way I could afford it. Even if I was full, money would still be tight. When my children are over 6 and I have more spaces, who knows if I'll be able to fill them all with the new rules. So even then, it could be very difficult paying such a large fee. I wish we could have some sort of association maybe instead of an agency. I think a lot of providers would be more willing to join a province-wide association for a much lower fee. I'm thinking a couple hundred dollars a year max. It would show our professionalism by choosing to belong to the association. I don't see why workshops and such couldn't be offered with something like that as well. If you want to participate in a certain workshop or course, etc., you would pay a separate fee for it. If you don't, you just pay your membership fee yearly. Just my thoughts! If you want to accept subsidized children, then you would still have to join an agency of course. I just think the cost of the co-op is a little outrageous.

[lplplp]

I know that a portion of the co-op fee would go towards inspections. I'm not someone that's all for the inspections. I'm running my own business out of my own home. Having someone come into my house to inspect my home and how I'm running my daycare is invasive. If the ministry really wants oversight for all home daycares, they should make their own plan to have this happen. Maybe have all home daycares have to register so that they are aware of each daycare's location. They can send inspectors if they wish. Having a portion of the co-op fee go towards inspections is essentially me paying to have myself inspected lol.

[cfred]

The fee increase to absorb a $700-$1000 membership fee is $0.60 to $0.85 per child per day. That is really not an astronomical increase. My contract is set up to increase by $1/day/year just to keep up with the cost of living, therefore I won't need to implement an increase. But really, I know the full amount looks intimidating, but a less than $1/day increase? That's what would hold you back? Maybe I'm missing something.....

And no one is going to force anyone into the coop. If you don't want to join, then don't. It's all good. But there are many of us who do want this and we're working hard to bring it to fruition. Our model is far less invasive than the agency model, but there will be oversight. The ministry will NOT come up with their own plan to do this. They have said it. They won't foot the bill, which is why agency fees are so high. Our model is far more streamlined than the existing model, though we have to work through the nuts and bolts of it still. And you may think the cost of the coop is outrageous, but that's the cost for the inspections, which are a necessity for licensing. And truthfully, I'd like to see our sector opened up for ministry inspections. We all know that there are some bad providers out there. If this helps isolate them and push them out of the industry, then all the better IMO.

[cfred]

"The decision to become licensed is a purely personal one. Some would see no benefits to it and others would like the option of the 6th child accepting families on subsidized care, being provided ongoing professional development and more without losing the autonomy enjoyed by icps. To some these opportunities are worth a membership fee, to others not so much. But over all the benefit of the cooperative is to provide icps with another option where, currently there are only two: independent or agency affiliated."

Heidi Higgins

[lplplp]

If the co-op came to light today, with the 2 daycare children I have currently, my rates would have to increase by $2.15/day. We all go through periods of time when we have empty spaces for a little while as well. In my opinion, the daily rate would have to be raised by more than you stated to be sure we could cover the cost of the co-op. If the co-op existed today and I raised my rates, that $2.15 a day adds up to another $500 a year for the parent. I understand we won't be forced to join. But, if it comes to fruition it will feel like I have to in order to stay in business. I do appreciate that someone out there is trying to come up with a solution for us. Not everyone will agree with all the details of it though. How would the co-op force the bad apples out of the business? For sure, the bad providers (most of them anyway), would not join the co-op which means there will still be no oversight for them. And, if many good providers choose not to join the agency, how would they know who the good and bad providers are? Someone would have to file a complaint with the ministry about a bad provider which can be done already.

[lplplp]

"The decision to become licensed is a purely personal one. Some would see no benefits to it and others would like the option of the 6th child accepting families on subsidized care, being provided ongoing professional development and more without losing the autonomy enjoyed by icps. To some these opportunities are worth a membership fee, to others not so much. But over all the benefit of the cooperative is to provide icps with another option where, currently there are only two: independent or agency affiliated."

Heidi Higgins

To me, the co-op would push the providers that wish to remain completely independent, out of the business. I don't really see it as an 'option'. If it happens, parents would not understand why you do not want to be a part of the agency that has been made specifically for ICPs. Parents will be inclined to choose a provider that is with the agency which will make it very difficult for the other providers that do not wish to join the agency.

[babydom]

If I got away with increasing my rates 1$ a day to have an extra 100$ a mth.....I'd love to keep that 100$ for myself not give it away to the co-op. Just saying

[kindertime]

I know I've asked this before, and I don't think the NDP even have this answer yet, but if they do implement a Universal Childcare plan at $15/day, how much will the daycare get?

The way it works in Quebec, if a person wants to open a home daycare, they have 2 choices. Be subsidized or be private. Private is like the rest of the country; charge whatever you want and operate how you want, with the only restriction being a max of 6 kids under age 9. Any parent who wants to go to a private daycare can and they pay the full fee.

If you are recognized (licenced and subsidized) then ALL of the parents who come your daycare (if they are Quebec residents) are eligible. So it's not the child who brings the subsidy with them from daycare to daycare, it's the daycare who offers subsidized spaces. I am guessing... the UCC that the NDP is proposing will be like that.

In my area, the coordinating office that recognizes us and distributes the subsidy is granted about 200 home childcare spaces. They licence home daycares to fill them. I am one of them. I charge the parents $7.30/day and I get an additional $25.85/day in subsidy. In fact, it is illegal for me to charge "full fee" to any parent who is a Quebec resident.

The subsidy amount is what you should be asking your local NDP candidate about. If the parents are paying you the $15/day, what will the government kick in on top of it?

Before we unionized, the subsidy was $19/day. And the parents paid $7. AND - it is important to note that ALL food and ALL supplies are included in that price. There are very strict rules about what we are and aren't allowed to charge extra for. So now because of the union, the subsidy is $25.85 and the parents pay $7.30 (but the government claws back that $.30 on every pay so we only still get the $7.) These amounts are the same across the whole province, city and country. High-end and low-end.

The reason I'm saying this, cuz I know no one in the rest of the country wants to do anything like Quebec... is just be careful what you wish for. If today, a private ICP in Toronto can easily charge $50/day and a private ICP in rural Saskatchewan can only charge $20/day.... there is the potential for a lot of loss of income if the UCC comes into force. Because likely.... it is my guess, that the amount paid by the government to the newly subsidized childcare provider in Toronto will not be even remotely close to $50/day. It is possible the subsidy amounts will vary by province, but maybe not for long.