Daycare dilemma: Private operators say 'socialist takeover' will drive most out of business
Daycare operators in Nova Scotia say the rush to $10/day childcare in five years may end up putting some out of business a lot sooner than that.
The province has offered childcare operators three options under the new model, options that some say are not economically feasible.
They also say it's the kind of move you wouldn't expect in a democratic country.
"It's a socialist takeover of businesses, mainly and predominantly owned by women,” says Chris Morash, owner of Beech Tree Academy in Beechville, N.S.
"The government is presenting it as an opportunity for people to get $10 a day daycare, but in the meantime, they have thrown the baby out with the bathwater."
In a joint federal announcement last week, the province moved to cut childcare fees by 25 per cent, an early move in a race to slash daycare costs to $10 a day in the next five years.
“It's historic. The impact will be felt for generations,” said Premier Tim Houston, at the virtual event last week.
However, some Nova Scotia operators say they've been left behind in the rush, given a tight deadline to choose between three options: stay private, become non-profit, or opt out and lose their subsidies, all of which will essentially drive them out of business.
"They're giving us a deadline of March 18 to sign agreements that would basically give them full access to our private centres,” says Donna Buckland, owner and director of Giant Steps Children's Centre, adding operators have always supported affordable childcare.
“The $10 a day daycare is something that I’ve been looking forward to my whole career. Affordable, accessible childcare for this country is just amazing, and I think it’s the direction we need to go in, as well as a compensation package for early childhood educators."
According to Buckland, some Nova Scotia childcare businesses were built over generations.
"Basically, what we're telling our parents is we just need more information and we need more time in order to make a decision that's going to mean that we're not going close our doors. Because the three options that they've given us to date are not acceptable and many operators will close their doors if we don't see a change," says Buckland.
Although the government inherited the deal from the Rankin Liberals, Nova Scotia Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Becky Druhan says her department has been negotiating with operators, and will continue to do so.
"We want to see them all involved in the future system we're building,” says Druhan. "There are many, many options available to them."
In a series of meetings, including one on Sunday, about 200 operators say they're joining forces and will refuse to sign the deal.
Acknowledging that the province has provided operators funding to discuss the matter with lawyers, accountants and financial advisors, Buckland says the nationalization of the industry goes even further than socialism.
"When I emailed my accountant, he basically said, ‘I can’t believe they’re trying to do this. This is communism,'" Buckland says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.