We are committed to ensuring that all families can find and afford high-quality childcare services without sacrificing their financial stability.

Implementation:

To fulfill this promise, we will establish a tiered pricing structure based on family income, ensuring that those with lower incomes pay less while still receiving the same high-quality care as others. Additionally, we will offer scholarships and flexible payment plans for families who face financial challenges. Regular market assessments will help us remain competitive and adjust our pricing to meet the needs of the community better.

Reasoning:

Affordable childcare is essential for supporting working families and stimulating the economy. When families can access reasonably priced childcare, they can pursue employment opportunities, knowing their children are receiving quality care and education. This accessibility reduces stress on parents, allowing them to focus on their careers and improve their overall well-being, while children benefit from a stable, nurturing environment.

Nuance:

While affordable pricing is crucial, it’s equally important to maintain the quality of care provided. Balancing affordability with the hiring of skilled educators and maintaining safe facilities can be a challenge. By operating efficiently and prioritizing funding sources such as grants and community partnerships, we can ensure that affordability does not compromise the standards of care. Moreover, engaging families in discussions about pricing transparency fosters trust and helps them understand the value of the services provided.

In Waterloo, we understand that today's children will be tomorrow's leaders in technology, robotics, and electric vehicles. Our commitment is to provide an educational environment that sparks critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability, preparing our children for the challenges and opportunities that lie

Implementation:

To bring this vision to life, we will revamp our childcare curriculum to incorporate hands-on learning experiences that focus on technology and engineering. This includes introducing coding classes, robotics clubs, and sustainable practices related to electric vehicles. Educators will receive specialized training to inspire curiosity and innovation. We will also partner with local tech companies to provide real-world insights and resources for our children.

Reasoning:

In an era where artificial intelligence and advanced technologies shape our world, it's imperative that we equip our children with the necessary skills to navigate and thrive in this landscape. By fostering critical thinking and technical expertise, we can cultivate a generation that is not only prepared for future careers but also capable of driving positive change in the world around them.

Additionally, by nurturing local skilled professionals, we reduce our reliance on outsourcing and prevent shortages of skilled workers in Waterloo. Investing in our youth ensures that our community remains self-sufficient and competitive in a rapidly evolving job market.

Furthermore, when students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed for high-tech careers, they can approach their futures with confidence—eliminating the fear of job displacement in an automated world. Currently, we see that the curriculum does not adequately prepare students for this high-tech future; the last major revision of the curriculum at the elementary level in the Waterloo District School Board took place over a decade ago. It’s time for a radical change that aligns education with the demands of today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.

Nuance:

While we push for a curriculum rich in technology, we must also prioritize holistic development. Balancing technical skills with social-emotional learning is essential for well-rounded growth. We will work to create a learning environment that encourages collaboration and communication alongside technical proficiency, ensuring that children are prepared not just as individuals but as engaged members of a community ready to tackle the future head-on.

Let’s ignite this radical change in Waterloo childcare education — for our children, for our community, and for a brighter tomorrow!

"We will establish a wage grid for child care workers and ensure decent work standards to keep them on the job." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for the North, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We will ensure access to French language education programs close to home, and invest in French-language child care, a proven gateway to French language education." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for the North, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We’ll invest in Francophone education in French school boards and French immersion programs in the English system." — ontariondp.ca, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We will reverse Ford’s education cuts and invest in a new, needs-based funding formula. The Ford government has cut education funding by $1,500 per student since 2018, leaving schools with fewer teachers and larger class sizes." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for Southwest Ontario & Niagara, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We will review the funding model to focus on student needs and not numbers of students to support vulnerable students." — ontariondp.ca, retrieved 2025-02-20

"And we’ll make sure students can get to class reliably and on time by fixing Ford’s broken student transportation funding." — ontariondp.ca, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We will fix student transportation funding. Students across Northern Ontario lost bus services when the Ford government increased the distance eligibility. Attendance rates among students in Thunder Bay who lost access to the bus service have dropped. We will make sure you can count on a school bus to come on time for your child to get to and from school safely, by fixing the student transportation funding formula." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for the North, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We’ll end the practice of streaming and make sure we are using data to support more equitable schools." — ontariondp.ca, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We will review the funding model to focus on student needs and not numbers of students to support vulnerable students." — ontariondp.ca, retrieved 2025-02-20

"Hire more staff. Large class sizes, less direct support, it can be hard to learn in Ford’s Ontario. Dedicated teachers, educational assistants, child and youth workers, ECEs, custodial and trade workers – they make all the difference helping students get the one-on-one attention they need and maintaining a nurturing learning environment. Having more caring adults in schools makes them safer for everyone." — ontariondp.ca, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We will improve access to Autism services by creating incentives for mental health professionals, social workers and speech and language to work in schools and community settings in the North." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for the North, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We’re committed to investing in public post-secondary education, permanently increasing base funding and investing in research and innovation to maintain our competitive edge." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for Southwest Ontario & Niagara, retrieved 2025-02-20

"Innovation starts with education. We’re committed to investing in public post-secondary education at institutions like Lakehead University, Northern College, Cambrian College, and funding a dedicated French Universite de Sudbury. We will permanently increase base funding and ensure they have the reliable funding they need to deliver world-class education." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for the North, retrieved 2025-02-20

"We will work with Indigenous post-secondary institutions, like the Seven Generations Education Institute to offer more programs and credentialling." — On Your Side: The Ontario NDP Plan for the North, retrieved 2025-02-20

"Fix our schools. Ontario’s schools are saddled with a massive repair backlog left behind by the Liberals, and it has only grown under Ford’s Conservatives. Freezing classrooms without heat in the winter, gyms and cafeterias with leaking roofs. We’ll fix schools to give students a high quality, nurturing learning environment. We will invest an additional $830 million a year to clear the repair backlog within 10 years while keeping up with school maintenance needs." — ontariondp.ca, retrieved 2025-02-20

"Feed students. Kids can’t learn on an empty stomach. Families are facing record high grocery bills, and inflation from tariffs could drive up costs even further. We’ll create a universal School Food Program so that every child in Ontario is set up to succeed. Ontario already feeds some kids in school, we’ll expand it for all and use fresh food prepared and grown right here in Ontario to do it. We can help kids focus on their teacher, not their hunger, and give families some financial relief." — ontariondp.ca, retrieved 2025-02-20

"Doug Ford renewed the Ontario PCs’ commitment to enforce compulsory certification in the electrical trade and ensure all electrical workers in Ontario are registered apprentices or have a certificate of qualification." — ontariopc.ca, retrieved 2025-02-19