Ontario boosting child-care subsidies, reducing wait lists

New funding from the provincialand federal governments will increase child-care subsidiesfor families in Ottawa.

The boost would also reduce the number of families waiting to get subsidized placements for children aged six and younger, according to a media release from the Ontario government.

• Ontario pledges to create 45,000 child-care spaces

The funding is aimed atallowing 1,000 more children to find placements in child-care centres and daycares around the city.Funding will increase to$87 million, up from about $75 millionlast year, according to the release.

"Parents work hard to provide for their families and make ends meet, which is why access to affordable child care is so important," Mayor Jim Watson said at the event.

Members of all three levels of government were in Ottawato make the announcement on Friday.

The injection of funding comes as Ontario is pushing to create 100,000 more child-care spaces, with help from the federal government.

Before the announcement,advocates hadcriticized the provincefor failing to help parents find licensed placements for their young children.