Parents and Staff Hope to Turn Early Victory into Permanent Solution to Keep Progress Child Care Centre Open

SCARBOROUGH, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 16, 2011) - The parents and staff of Progress Child Care in Scarborough are breathing a deep sigh of relief at the receipt of news from Toronto City Council that help is on the way. In official statements made in the media today, the City promised to release some of the Centre's funding early in order to make crucial payments and to assign city resources to assist with the administration of the parent-run, not-for-profit child care centre.

"We are very pleased with today's news of assistance from the city," said Rob Fletcher, daycare Treasurer and parent. "The city is taking some important initial steps that are going to help keep the doors of the child care centre open for the immediate future. This provides the opportunity for parents and staff to work with the city and the province to develop a long-term funding plan that will ensure the survival of the centre."

Progress Child Care Centre has been serving Scarborough parents for 30 years and some of the Centre's staff have been working there for over 15 years. The child care centre narrowly avoided closure this week as it struggled with chronic under funding. A staff agreement to defer their wages until an arrangement could be reached with the City helped to ensure that the Site 1 Centre remained open. That closure would have left the families of 90 suburban children stranded. Unfortunately, the closure of the Site 2 Centre could not be stopped and will result in the loss of 21 infant and toddler spaces.

"Our City Council and municipal staff have made the right decision in saving 90 spaces that are crucial to our community. Working together over the weekend, the parents and workers of Progress Child Care Centre were able to amass strong community support that the city couldn't ignore," said Tenisha Pollard, mother of an infant at Progress Child Care. "The media also played a vital role in putting the spotlight on the plight of our child care centre."

"Like Progress, we know there are many other centres that are also facing funding challenges in our city and across the province," said Andrea Calver, from the Ontario Coalition For Better Child Care. "We have called on the province to earmark at least $100 million this year and to commit another $200 million next year to stabilize child care and avoid unnecessary closures."

People for Progress Child Care is a coalition of parents and staff of Progress Child Care Centre in Scarborough who are fighting to keep the centre serving their community.