Trustees Also Support Call for Prohibition of Advertisements for Gambling
Trustees with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) are calling on the Government of Ontario to enable it to begin work on desperately needed childcare spaces in Toronto. During the Regular Meeting, Trustees voted to send a letter to the Minister of Education urging him to allow the TDSB to use already committed provincial funds to build childcare spaces - particularly in underserved areas in Scarborough and Northwest Toronto.
In 2017, the Ministry of Education allotted funding for 28 childcare projects at the TDSB, however due to outdated benchmarks to determine funding, delayed approvals, and rising construction costs, the allotted funding does not cover the actual costs of these projects and has put these needed projects in jeopardy.
Trustees are requesting that the Ministry allow the board to pool the committed funding so that it can immediately begin construction on some of the 28 projects - many of which have already been approved.
The TDSB supports a seamless day model for childcare services located inside schools, which provides a seamless transition from early learning into the broader education system, reduces the stress families face when planning for their child's care, fosters a stronger connection with the school community, and removes the emotional strain associated with finding child care providers close to their child's school.
During this evening's meeting, Trustees also voted to support the Campaign to Ban Ads for Gambling call for the prohibition of advertisements for gambling in the same way that ads for tobacco and cannabis have been restricted. The Chair will soon write to provincial and federal political leaders to advocate that legislation be enacted to ban advertising for gambling in all media, particularly that which is seen by great numbers of children.
Quick Facts
- The Ministry of Education has offered an additional 25% in funding toward childcare projects, however this is insufficient to cover the actual costs of the projects.
- The seamless day model for childcare services located inside schools is outlined in the Ministry of Education's Working Together in Shared Spaces document and in the Ontario Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement 2021 to 2026.
- Research shows that the restriction of ads can prevent or minimize the harms from gambling, especially among youth and other vulnerable groups.
- Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey indicates that 2% of Canadians aged 15 or older have a gambling problem.
"By allowing the TDSB to use the currently committed funding to get started right away on childcare projects, all in deeply needed, underserved areas, we could get shovels in the ground immediately and avoid another generation of families going without childcare at their local school."
- Rachel Chernos Lin, Chair, TDSB
