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New report from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit
finds child care is declining in Canada
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE IN CANADA 2001, 5th Ed.
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Data on financing, the number of spaces and accessibility show that,
overall, child care is losing ground in Canada outside Quebec.

Released today by the University of Toronto's Childcare Resource and
Research Unit, the study provides a snapshot of the state of early
childhood education and care in 2001 as well as an assessment of
progress over time. It is the fifth such report to be compiled by the
Childcare Resource and Research Unit.

In keeping with current conceptions and development of the early
childhood education and care field, this 200 page report adds
cross-Canada information on public kindergarten to
provincial/territorial information about regulated child care, maternity
and parental leave and relevant demographic information. It also
includes an examination of the state of ECEC in Canada, federal ECEC
programs, and Aboriginal ECEC.

- Full report is available for download (in PDF) in a temporary format.
(Enhanced version coming soon.)
- Four page summary, highlights and press release available for download
in PDF.
- Print copies also available for order.
- Press release below.

All information available at:
http://www.childcarecanada.org/ECECC2001/index.html



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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Feb 10, 2003)
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CANADIAN CHILD CARE DETERIORATING SAYS NEW REPORT

The child care situation is worsening, according to a new report on
child care and early childhood education. Data on financing, spaces and
accessibility show that, overall, child care outside Quebec is losing
ground.

"The deterioration - especially in some provinces - is alarming", said
Martha Friendly, one of the authors.  "While there have been
improvements in some places, most of these are fairly scanty considering
what children and families need. The overall picture is of a
considerably weaker situation than at the beginning of the decade".

- Provincial/territorial child care spending outside Quebec has
decreased.  Total spending for child care in the rest of Canada has
dropped by about $70 million (in constant 2001 dollars) since 1992.
- Growth in child care has slowed dramatically. While regulated child
care spaces grew from 371,573 to 593,430 since 1992, 70% of growth was
in Quebec. In the rest of Canada, there were only 65,340 new spaces over
the decade 1992 to 2001.  In comparison, in the previous decade (1980 -
1990), child care spaces outside Quebec grew by more than 160,000.
- The labour force rate of mothers of children in all age groups
continued to grow; the rate for those with children 3-5 years grew from
68% to 73.4% (1992-2001).
- Subsidy eligibility levels (in constant 2001 dollars) in seven
provinces/territories dropped between 1992 and 2001. Most have not
adjusted eligibility levels or adjusted them very little over the
decade. Generally, parents are responsible for most of the cost of child
care.

Released today by the University of Toronto's Childcare Resource and
Research Unit, the study provides a snapshot of the state of Canadian
early childhood education and care as well as an assessment of progress
over time. It is the fifth such report to be compiled by the Childcare
Resource and Research Unit. Friendly, the coordinator of the Childcare
Resource and Research Unit, observed that the decline had occurred
during a period when governments across Canada began to profess
recognition of the importance of the early years and "giving each child
the best start in life".

Differences between Quebec and the rest of Canada in early childhood
programs are now so great as to be stunning. A second key finding of the
report is the scale of this divergence.

- In 2001, Quebec spent 58% of the $1.9 billion spent by
provinces/territories on regulated child care.
- Per (child) capita annual spending on regulated child care was 10
times higher in Quebec ($980) than it was in the province that spent the
least ( $91).
- Quebec now has 40% of all regulated child care spaces (it has 23% of
total child population).

"Quebec has left the rest of Canada in the dust on child care" said Ms.
Friendly.  "But the reason is simple: it's because they set a goal of
universal high quality early childhood education and care, adopted a
plan with targets and timetables, and have dedicated substantial money
and resources to moving forward".

The 200 page report includes extensive data on kindergarten and child
care programs in each province/territory, Aboriginal programs, quality,
contextual and demographic data, historical and recent policy and
program developments.  The research was funded by Human Resources
Development Canada.

The full report and summary will be posted on the CRRU website
(www.childcarecanada.org) on the morning of Feb.10. For further
information or to obtain a copy of the report or a four page summary:
Martha Friendly  (416 978 6895),  Jane Beach (250 592 2959) or Michelle
Turiano  (416 978 6895)

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