Evidence of meeting #52 for Finance in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was care.
12:05 p.m.
Executive Director, Manitoba Child Care Association
Unfortunately, we're not with the Government of Manitoba, but I can tell you there are about 28,000 licensed child care spaces that are probably used by more than that number of children. Some attend on a part-time basis, in which case one child might be sharing a space with a couple of others.
The provincial budget is probably a little over.... That number is escaping me right now.
12:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
So approximately 30,000 are using it. How many would use it if there were the funding?
12:05 p.m.
Executive Director, Manitoba Child Care Association
Again, we don't have a mechanism for tracking that provincially. It would be up to the Government of Manitoba as part of their five-year agenda. They have included a plan to develop a centralized wait list. Right now each of the almost one thousand child care facilities keep their own wait list, so there really is no way of knowing. I do know, from our organization's perspective, having done some surveys, that the wait times being reported by the programs are two to three years long. That gives you an idea. We would never tolerate wait times of two to three years for a hip or knee replacement, but somehow for child care that seems okay.
There's a lot we don't know about our field right now, you're right, and if we had those numbers, we'd be better able to develop a system.
12:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
In my riding, a lot of child care spaces are provided through groups like the YMCA on the south side of Edmonton. Would you recommend that option in terms of funding spaces there? There is a debate as to whether you fund through organizations, whether you set them up separately, or whether they're fully publicly administered and publicly funded.
12:05 p.m.
Executive Director, Manitoba Child Care Association
We could talk about this all day. A lot of spaces are provided by the Ys in Winnipeg as well, but they have been unable to provide enough spaces to reduce the two- to three-year wait times. A big problem for development of new services is the capital it costs--millions of dollars to go from ground to child care programs.
12:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
That's why they argue with me that we should fund through them because they have the capital infrastructure.
12:05 p.m.
Executive Director, Manitoba Child Care Association
Yes. That's certainly an option. One of the ways the Government of Canada could be involved is through the funding of infrastructure for child care programs. I know it happens in other areas, and that would be something to look at for the development of services too.
12:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Rajotte
Okay. I cut everyone else off, so my time is up. I wish we could continue this discussion. If you want to provide the committee with any more information, please do so. It certainly applies to any organization or witnesses here.
We want to thank you for your presentations and your responses to our questions.
We will adjourn the meeting.