The Business Case for Childcare

The Toronto Star has an excellent editorial today, reminding its readers that childcare isn't a frill. It's actually a wise investment.

"Even KPMG’s accountants [the consultants hired by Mayor Rob Ford to look for 'gravy' in the city's budget] see the dangers in cutting access to affordable child care, The Star writes. 'Reducing the number of subsidized child care spaces,'  they write, 'will make work and/or school less accessible to some parents, and may increase Ontario Works and Employment and Social Services case loads (and costs)."

In a recent report (Educated, Employed, and Equal: The Economic Prosperity Case for Childcare) (.pdf), YWCA Canada made the business case for childcare, noting that the path to gender equality is the path to greater economic prosperity. In other words, investing in childcare isn't just smart social policy: it can also increase productivity and lead to economic growth.

Surely that is language that resonates with the Rob Fords of the world.

Related:

Childcare links assembled by Code Blue for Childcare (a national childcare advocacy group made up of national, provincial/territorial child care organizations, labour and women’s organizations, social justice and anti-poverty groups).