SSRSB: Pre-Primary Program Timeline - Question Period

MS. CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development.

On Friday, the South Shore Regional School Board issued a request for proposals for the onsite provision of pre-Primary, after-school program services. Site visits for intended providers put out Friday are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. today, times when most child care providers would obviously be busy with the children in their care, and proposals are due October 11th. We began raising concerns about the need for wrap-around care for pre-Primary programs months ago but, again, the government has dropped the ball on implementation. I understand the role of school boards here, but my question for the minister is, does the minister have concerns that child care providers have been given less than two weeks to develop proposals for providing wrap-around care.

HON. ZACH CHURCHILL « » : Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. This is of course key to having a full and complete child care sector in our province that includes universally-free pre-Primary care for four-year-olds. This is going to be a key question in the consultation that we will begin by the end of this month with the sector. I intend, based on the feedback I've had, actually from the sector, that this consultation will yield some very positive results for the sector and create some really important labour-market information that they'll be able to use for their own benefit.

MS. CHENDER « » : With respect, Mr. Speaker, my question was not about consultation. The Day Care Act and regulations are in place to protect the safety and well-being of children in regulated care and to cover the work and environment of regulated daycares. This RFP that I am asking about states that the school board is looking for a licensed provider. Licensed providers under the Act are required to operate within its provisions and, as we've just heard from my colleague, that process can take three to six months. We know, however, that pre-Primary classrooms will not be licensed under the Day Care Act and are currently not subject to any regulations. So, will the minister confirm that this RFP is asking licensed child care providers to operate outside of the Day Care Act?

MR. CHURCHILL « » : Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, we've brought forward the pre-Primary Education Act in this House. That will be the legislative framework that we will be operating the pre-Primary program under and, as she stated, it is correct that it is separate from the Day Care Act.


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