Province preventing child care centres from collecting payment during COVID-19

The Ontario government is aiming to provide much-needed relief for parents during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The province’s recently-passed emergency order immediately prevents any child care operator from charging parent fees where care is not being provided, meaning parents cannot lose their child care space because they aren’t paying fees during this period.

“COVID-19 has imposed significant financial pressure on working parents. We need to support our parents who may be facing reduced income or layoffs during the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Education Minister. Stephen Lecce.

All child care centres in the province, with the exception of those accommodating health care and other frontline workers, were ordered to close to help prevent the spread of the virus. As a result, the child care sector is facing financial pressures similar to other sectors.

“We are defending the interests of consumers and protecting parents’ hard-earned money by ordering child care centres to stop charging fees for services not rendered,” Lecce said. “From protecting health and safety, to jobs and incomes, we will do whatever it takes to get our province and our incredibly resilient people through this.” 

Child care providers can seek financial support for businesses and individuals under the federal government’s Economic Response Plan.

The province says it will continue to work with the child care sector and federal, municipal, and First Nations partners on a plan to sustain child care businesses during the outbreak.