Liberal Childcare Isn’t Working
Ottawa, ON – Laila Goodridge, Conservative Shadow Minister for Social Development and Families, issued the following statement on the Liberals’ child care program:
“This week’s reports from the Auditor General and Statistics Canada confirm what parents have been feeling across Canada: the Liberals’ child care program has led to endless waits, a shortage of spaces and a rationing of child care.
“Half of Canadian parents using child care said they had difficulty finding child care this year, up from 36.6 per cent in 2020. Almost a third of those with children between zero and five years old reported their child was on a waitlist. It’s even worse for those with children under one, with 56 per cent of parents reporting their child was on a waitlist.
“This is because the Liberal child care program is failing. The Auditor General reported that the program has intensified supply shortages, with less than half the required number of spaces being created in the last three years.
“The Liberals are 69,000 spaces short of the target they set for March of next year. But instead of coming clean about their failure to create spaces, the Liberals attempted to hide the gap by counting hundreds of spaces for school-aged children, despite the target being for children under six.
“It has all prevented those who need and rely on child care the most from being able to benefit. The Auditor General found that spaces may not be accessible for vulnerable families, and a report by the University of British Columbia found that Liberal-created waitlists were “functioning as a prohibitive barrier to access for those who are low-income”.
“Meanwhile, the Auditor General found that Liberals had failed to report the results of the program for four years and didn’t have comparable information to evaluate the performance of the provincial and territorial programs.
“Liberals promised affordable and accessible child care, but have delivered the exact opposite. Parents in need can’t afford another Liberal bait-and-switch. Conservatives will continue to champion choice that respects parents and provides affordable care.”