Dear Minister Dunlop,
We, the Board of Directors at Emmanuel at Brighton Child Care Centre, further referred to as “Centre”, are proud to recognize Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day each year. As a not-for-profit childcare and early learning Centre, we support 175 children and employ over 40 educators and staff in Waterloo Region. As our Centre celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, we extend our heartfelt gratitude and recognition to all the dedicated early childhood educators (ECEs) and childcare workers who play a pivotal role in supporting our Centre and community. We also wish to express our support for the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario’s call for improved working conditions and wages for childcare workers across Ontario. In writing to you, we are asking you to recognize the work of ECEs and childcare workers by answering that call. Early childhood education, provided by ECEs and childcare workers, is transformative for children’s early development, fostering cognitive, social, and emotional growth in young children. High-quality early education provided by ECEs and childcare workers leads to better academic performance, improved social skills, and long-term benefits such as higher graduation rates and better job prospects.
Moreover, access to reliable childcare and early learning services enables parents, especially mothers, to participate in the workforce. This not only boosts family income but also contributes to economic growth across our communities. By supporting parents in their careers, ECEs help reduce gender disparities in employment and income, promoting gender equity and empowering women to pursue their professional and educational goals.
Despite their critical role, the childcare and early learning workforce in Ontario faces significant challenges. The sector is facing an anticipated shortfall of 8,500 childcare workers by 2026. The primary factors driving this shortage are poor working conditions and low wages. As our centre works to create more childcare spaces through the purchase of property in Wilmot Township, we are experiencing these challenges first-hand. We can only create those much needed spaces for children in our region if there are skilled ECEs and childcare workers to hire.
Working conditions for ECEs and childcare workers are the learning conditions for our children. Centres must be safe and well-resourced. Staff deserve the support needed to do their jobs well. This includes paid time for planning and professional development, as well as pedagogical leadership and access to other specialists who can assist children and families in distress or with greater needs.
Early childhood educators are professionals who deserve professional wages and benefits. We support the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario’s call for an immediate $25 minimum wage for non-ECE child-care staff and $30 an hour for registered ECEs, as well as the introduction of a wage grid as an incentive to keep workers in the sector. Paid leave and decent
health and pension benefits are essential recruiting tools, particularly for a young workforce with its own family responsibilities. Among childcare and early learning staff with benefits, half cited access to benefits as a reason for staying with their employer.
Investing in childcare is not just a benefit to families and children; it’s an investment in our province’s future that pays big dividends. Every tax dollar invested into childcare increases our economic output, with estimates of the return on a dollar ranging from $1.60 to $6.00. This investment strengthens the economy, supports families, and ensures a brighter future for our children.
We hope you will join us in celebrating Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day and work to enact improvements to the working conditions and wages of ECEs and childcare workers. The dedication and hard work of these professionals are essential to the well-being and development of our children and the prosperity of our community.
Sincerely,
Emmanuel at Brighton Board of Directors
Scott Prevost, Chair
L-A Steeleworthy, Vice Chair
Meizi Liu, Treasurer
Vanessa Parks, Secretary
Kachi Ebe
Carly Greco
Shirley Hao
Allison Jutzi
Serena McDiarmid
Grant Saepharn
CC:
MPP Teresa Armstrong, MPP London-Fanshawe, NDP Child Care Critic
MPP Karen McCrimmon, MPP Kanata-Carleton, Liberal Education Critic
Catherine Fife, MPP Waterloo
Mike Harris, MPP Kitchener-Conestoga