Ontario NDP Says They'll Set $25 An Hour Wages For Some Childcare Workers If Elected
They'll also make wages start at $20 an hour for other staff in the field.
Wages for some childcare workers could start at $25 an hour if the NDP gets elected in Ontario's upcoming elections.
On Tuesday, April 12, Ontario's NDP leader Andrea Horwath announced that they'll bring $25 an hour starting wages to all registered early childhood educators in the province if they take office. The NDP will also set wages to $20 per hour for all other childcare program staff.
Horwath is also looking to create and set down a Workforce Strategy with childcare advocates and unions that will lead to decent work standards, like benefits, pensions and support for workers in this field if they upgrade their qualifications.
"Making child care $10 per day is absolutely critical for families — but there's no child care without child care workers. It's already hard to find a child care space, and we'll need thousands more spaces when we finally make child care affordable for all families," Horwath said in the announcement.
Recently, the Ford government struck a deal with the feds that will cut childcare fees to $10 a day by 2025.
"Ford is moving ahead with a wage floor of just $18 per hour for registered early childhood educators in child care," the NDP said.
Per CBC News, this current agreement between the provincial and federal government will bring a starting wage of $18 an hour for program staff and $20 an hour for supervisors, with both wages getting a raise of one dollar per year. Narcity reached out to the Premier's Office for comment but didn't immediately hear back before this article was published.
Ontario's NDP has also promised to raise general minimum wage rates to $20 by 2026, and free universal mental health care if they get elected in this year's provincial elections.
Ontarians can hit the polls and cast their ballots on election day on June 2.