For Immediate Release
December 01, 2005
WINDSOR MOVING FORWARD WITH BEST START PLAN
FOR MORE CHILD CARE SPACES
Part of McGuinty Government’s Plan To Enhance Early Learning And Child Care
WINDSOR – The Ontario government is moving ahead on improving access to high quality early learning and child care for Windsor’s youngest children, MPPs Bruce Crozier, Sandra Pupatello and Dwight Duncan announced today.
“Our government’s Best Start plan will give Ontario children the best possible start in life so they arrive in Grade 1 ready to learn,” said Duncan. “Early learning and child care is being enhanced to meet our local needs and to help parents balance the demands of work and family.”
As part of Best Start, Windsor plans to create 240 child care spaces by April 2006 including 40 spaces that have already been created. Across Ontario, municipal officials have confirmed that with this funding from the province they will be able to create more than 12,500 new Best Start child care spaces by April 2006. That is more than half of the three-year goal of 25,000 spaces by April 2008.
Of the $1.1 billion in federal funds the province announced this past summer to support Best Start over the next three years, Windsor will receive $29 million.
“Through Best Start, the government is nurturing the potential of Windsor’s youngest children and preparing them for lives that are as productive and fulfilling as possible,” said Pupatello.
“Best Start is the largest investment in child care and early child development in Ontario’s history,” said Children and Youth Services Minister Mary Anne Chambers. “It reflects a new commitment to Ontario’s young people and is consistent with our government’s priorities of health, education and economic prosperity.”
When fully implemented over the next 10 years, Best Start will include:
• A massive expansion of child care, predominantly in Ontario’s publicly funded schools
• More child care subsidies so that more families can access quality, affordable child care spaces
• Best Start neighborhood hubs that provide one-stop services for families in communities across Ontario
• Universal newborn screening and ongoing screening and services to identify needs early and provide vital developmental supports sooner
• A comprehensive 18-month well baby checkup.
“Best Start is good for children and good for families,” said Crozier. “ We’re helping parents balance the demands of work and family”.
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For further information:
Sara Best
Office of Sandra Pupatello, MPP
416-325-5219
Bruce Crozier, MPP
416-325-7298
Michael Arbour
Office of Dwight Duncan, MPP
416-325-4138
