December 12, 2016

OTTAWA – Media reports about the rising cost of daycare services in Canada’s biggest cities may have some parents naturally worried. But how would parents want decision-makers to respond to this news?

When Cardus and Nanos Research asked Canadian parents in the Canada Family Life Project about their preferences, 62% of respondents called for policy measures that involve helping parents directly, rather than giving money to centres, spaces, or schools. Only 15.3% of those surveyed wanted subsidies for child-care centres to improve quality and/or create more spaces.

“Canadians have repeatedly said they want to have the ability to decide for themselves how to take care of their children,” says Andrea Mrozek, Cardus Family Program Director. “The research shows that big government programs don’t rate highly with parents. And institutional centre-based daycare certainly is not parents’ favourite option.”

Previous research has also shown that 76% of Canadians with at least a high school diploma agreed that it’s best for a child to be at home with mom or dad instead of some other caregiver. And when parental care isn’t possible, 73% of Canadians prefer that kids be with a relative, or in home-based daycare. Only 19% of respondents chose non-profit or for-profit daycare centres as the best option.

To arrange an interview with Andrea Mrozek, contact Daniel Proussalidis, Director of Communications.

MEDIA INQUIRIES
Daniel Proussalidis
Cardus – Director of Communications
613.241.4500 x.508
dproussalidis@cardus.ca