Tilbury mother argues Ontario childcare subsidies outdated

A local mother is calling for changes to the Ontario Child Care Fee Subsidy program. CTV Windsor’s Stefanie Masotti learns more.

A Tilbury mother of three young children is calling on the province’s Ministry of Education to revise who is eligible for the Ontario Child Care Fee Subsidy.

She argues the mathematical calculations used to make these decisions do not match today’s cost of living.

“My kids are my entire world,” said Emily Rubinski, mother of Avery, 6, Remington, 4, and Maggie, 2. “We actually play outside in the yard a lot because we can’t really afford too much.”

Starting this month, she is no longer eligible for an Ontario Child Care Fee Subsidy after she and her partner moved under one roof.

“$102,000 for a joint person income is really just nowhere close to being enough to survive in today’s society at all,” she argued.

She tells CTV News her daycare costs have doubled from around $562/month to $1,200/month.

A family’s eligibility is determined through a provincial legislated tool referred to as the “Income Test Calculator” that was implemented in 2007.

“When you factor rent, car payments, insurance, utilities, cable and internet, daycare fees, groceries, all the other essential costs, we’re putting out a lot of money a month. close to like $5,800, if not more a month in just bills,” she adds. ”$100,000 in 2007 is not $100,000 today.”

The Municipality of Chatham Kent says the thresholds have not changed since its original implementation.

Officials would not comment specifically on whether or not the calculator should be updated to reflect today’s cost of living but sent a statement to CTV news.

“We understand...that with today’s financial pressures, many families are still struggling to afford appropriate care for their children,” said Josh Myers, director of child care and early years, Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

The Ontario Child Care Fee Subsidy is different from the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care or CWELCC system.

CWELCC is capped at $22 per day in Ontario with the initial intention of dropping it to $10 per day under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

According to a report published Wednesday, by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Ontario does not yet have plans to reduce fees to $10 a day.

Prime Minister Mark Carney had promised in his election platform to “protect and strengthen” the national child-care program, but so far there’s no mention of additional funding.

A request for comment from the federal government and Ontario’s Ministry of Education have not been returned as of publication.

For now, Rubinski has been advised to reach out to her case manager if there are significant changes to her family’s income.

“It’s just really disheartening watching us work and work and work and get absolutely nowhere,” said Rubinski.