The Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force met on Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 9:36 a.m., in the Council Chamber, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A, Brampton.

Members Present:	B. Crombie*; S. Hames; E. Kolb; G. Miles; E. Moore; P. Palleschi*; A. Thompson as alternate for R. Paterak; J. Sanderson
Members Absent:	R. Paterak, due to other municipal business; P. Saito, due to personal reasons; J. Sprovieri
Other Council Members Present:	C. Fonseca; R. Starr
Also Present:	D. Szwarc, Chief Administrative Officer; N. Trim, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Corporate Services; J. Menard, Commissioner of Human Services; S. Pace, Director, Children’s Services Operations; J. Kaczmarski, Director, Service System Management; A. Macintyre, Acting Regional Clerk; C. Law, Committee Clerk

_______________________________
* See text for arrivals
¨See text for departures

Chaired by Councillor Miles.

1. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION ELCCFT-1-2013:

That the agenda for the April 18, 2013, Early Learning and Child Care Task Force meeting be amended to include a letter from Malton Neighbourhood Services, regarding the Learning in Our Neighbourhood (LION) program, to be dealt with under Communications;

And further, that the agenda for the April 18, 2013, Early Learning and Child Care Task Force meeting be approved, as amended.

Councillor Palleschi arrived at 9:39 a.m.
Councillor Crombie arrived at 9:45 a.m.

3. DELEGATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

Received

A copy of the presentation is available from the Office of the Regional Clerk.

Joan Kaczmarski, Director, Service System Management and Sonia Pace, Director, Children Services Operations provided an update on the Early Learning and Child Care system in the Region of Peel including system stability, ongoing provincial initiatives and funding, increased access to fee subsidy for parents, special needs supports, quality monitoring, the use of data forecasting and analysis for local planning and policy development, and an update on the ongoing withdrawal of direct delivery of child care at the Region’s Learn.Play.Care Centres (LPCs).

Councillor Thompson asked that special initiatives being planned, such as French language training, be delayed in favour of further supports for children with special needs. Joan Kaczmarski responded that funding can be reallocated between envelopes to meet local needs and would take this as direction.

In response to a question from Councillor Crombie, Joan Kaczmarski stated that the new provincial funding of $28.5 million is an ongoing annual base funding amount.

In response to a question from Councillor Palleschi, David Szwarc, Chief Administrative Officer, stated that no new family has applied for a full fee space at the LPCs since the rates were raised to full cost recovery levels.

b) Leyung Tu, Kindergarten Teacher, Thorndale Public School, Speaking in Support of the Learning in Our Neighbourhood (LION) Program

Received

See also Reports – Item 4d, and Communications – Items 5b to g inclusive

Leyung Tu, a kindergarten teacher from Thorndale Public School addressed the Task Force members to speak in support of the efficacy of the Learning in Our Neighbourhood (LION) program. She stated that it helps prepare young children for school. She urged the members to support the recommendation from staff for ongoing Regional funding.

Item 4d was dealt with.

4. REPORTS

d) Learning in Our Neighborhood: Review and Recommendations

RECOMMENDATION ELCCTF-2-2013:

That the Early Learning and Child Care budget provide $450,000 to fund the Learning In Our Neighbourhood (LION) program.

See also Delegations/Presentations – Item 3b, and Communications – Items 5b to g inclusive

4. REPORTS

a) Overview of Ontario Early Years Policy Framework

Received

b) 2013 Early Learning and Child Care Funding Distribution and Early Learning System Planning

RECOMMENDATION ELCCTF-3-2013:

That the receipt of $28.5 million in additional funding from the Ministry of Education (MEDU) be approved;

And further, that $21.1 million of the new funding be used to increase the 2013 gross expenditures to align with new base funding from the MEDU;

And further, that $5.0 million of the funding be used to support eligible system enhancements which were funded from Best Start Reserves;

And further, that the remaining $2.4 million in new funding be used for capital and transition support which was originally funded through the 2013 Budget as one-time funding from the Province.

c) Distribution of 2012 Provincial Minor Capital, Capacity Building and Health & Safety Funding for the Early Learning and Child Care System in Peel

Received

d) Learning in Our Neighborhood: Review and Recommendations

This item was dealt with earlier in the meeting

See also Delegations/Presentations – Item 3b, and Communications – Items 5b to 5g inclusive

e) Update on the Withdrawal of Service at the Learn.Play.Care. Child Care Centres

Received

5. COMMUNICATIONS

a) Jim Grieve, Assistant Deputy Minister, Early Learning Division and Diversity Champion for the Ontario Ministry of Education, Email received March 25, 2013, Regarding the Release of Licensed Child Care Questionnaire 2012 Results Report

Received

b) Shelina Jeshani, Director, Success by 6 Peel, Peel Children and Youth Initiative, Letter dated April 4, 2013, Supporting the Recommendation for a Comprehensive Review of the Learning in Our Neighborhood (LION) Program

Received

See also Delegations/Presentations – Item 3b, Reports – Item 4d, and Communications – Items 5c to 5g inclusive

c) Lisa Lipson, Director, Service Development, Brampton Library, Letter dated April 4, 2013, Writing in Support of the Learning in Our Neighbourhood (LION) Program

Received

See also Delegations/Presentations – Item 3b, Reports – Item 4d, and Communications – Items 5b, and 5d to 5g inclusive

d) Betty Mansfield, Acting Director of Library Services, Mississauga Library System, Letter dated April 5, 2013, Writing in Support of the Learning in Our Neighbourhood (LION) Program

Received

See also Delegations/Presentations – Item 3b, Reports – Item 4d, and Communications – Items 5b, 5c, and 5e to 5g inclusive

e) Jane van Berkel, Executive Director, Child Development Resource Connection Peel, Email dated April 9, 2013, Writing in Support of the Learning in Our Neighbourhood (LION) Program

Received

See also Delegations/Presentations – Item 3b, Reports – Item 4d, and Communications – Items 5b to 5d inclusive, 5f and 5g

f) Heidi Corley, Co-Chair, Board of Directors, Mississauga Parent-Child Resource Centres, Letter dated April 5, 2013, Writing in Support of the Learning in Our Neighbourhood (LION) Program

Received

See also Delegations/Presentations – Item 3b, Reports – Item 4d, and Communications – Items 5b to 5e inclusive, and 5g

Additional Item – Item 5g:

g) Tony Patey, Chair, Board of Directors, Malton Neighbourhood Services, Letter dated April 9, 2013, Writing in Support of the Learning in Our Neighbourhood (LION) Program

Received

See also Approval of Agenda, Delegations/Presentations – Item 3b, Reports – Item 4d, and Communications – Items 5b to 5f inclusive

6. OTHER BUSINESS

7. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Early Learning and Child Care Task Force is scheduled for Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 1:00 p.m., Council Chamber, 5th floor, Regional Administrative Headquarters, Suite A, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Brampton, Ontario.

Please forward regrets to Curtiss Law, Legislative Specialist, (905) 791-7800, ext. 4330 or at curtiss.law@peelregion.ca.

8. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 10:33 a.m.