Madam Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to take part in this evening's debate.
Our government was elected on the promise of helping to boost the middle class and those working hard to join it, and on the issue of day care centres in federal government workplaces, we have done just that.
Our government recognizes that Canadian families need support and that all Canadian children are entitled to an equal opportunity to succeed. Within the federal public service, the Treasury Board policy on workplace day care centres aims to assist employees who are parents and who need day care in order to pursue careers in the public service.
The policy states that the decision to subsidize day care centres resides with government departments who have employees within the same building. When departments no longer wish to subsidize a day care centre, day care operators are informed of the change and are required to pay market value if they wish to keep operating in the same location.
Public Services and Procurement Canada's role is to support the department in acquiring and setting up facilities intended to be used for child care, as well as reaching licensing agreements with the day care operators.
If called to intervene, Public Services and Procurement Canada works with the day care operators to come up with ways to facilitate the transition towards paying rent at market prices. This could include extending rent subsidies while the day care centre works with parents and develops a new business model that takes the cost of rent into account.
In the case of Garderie Tunney's Daycare, its rent subsidy ended in 2014. The day care then entered into a five-year commercial lease agreement with Public Services and Procurement Canada. For the first 18 months of the lease, Public Services and Procurement Canada significantly reduced the rent compared to fair market rates. This transition period was meant to allow the day care to develop a viable business model, taking into account rental costs.
When the day care advised Public Services and Procurement Canada that it would have difficulty meeting its rent obligations, even after the 18 month transition period that ended on April 1, PSPC worked with the day care and the departments located at Tunney's Pasture to find a solution. Public Services and Procurement Canada helped facilitate a solution to allow Garderie Tunney's Daycare to continue to operate out of Tunney's Pasture for years to come.