The Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force met on Thursday, October 10, 2013 at 8:34 a.m., in the Council Chamber, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A, Brampton.

Members Present:	B. Crombie; G. Miles; E. Moore; R. Paterak; J. Sanderson; J. Sprovieri
Members Absent:	S. Hames; E. Kolb, due to other municipal business; P. Palleschi, due to other municipal business; P. Saito, due to a personal matter
Also Present:	D. Szwarc, Chief Administrative Officer; N. Trim, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Corporate Services; J. Menard, Commissioner of Human Services; K. Lockyer, Regional Clerk and Director of Clerk’s; C. Law, Committee Clerk; H. Gill, Legislative Assistant

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* See text for arrivals
¨See text for departures

Chaired by Councillor Miles.

1. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION ELCCFT-4-2013

That the agenda for the October 10, 2013, Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force meeting be approved.

3. DELEGATIONS – Nil

4. REPORTS

Received

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

Janet Menard, Commissioner of Human Services provided an update on the work of staff since September 2012 to withdraw from the direct delivery of child care services in the Region of Peel, given Regional Council’s direction. She noted that negotiations including lease agreements with three external child care providers – PLASP Child Care Services, Family Day Care Services, and the YMCA – have all been initiated to transfer direct delivery. She also noted that on the October 10, 2013 Regional Council Agenda there is a report with recommendations to allow for a smoother transfer of service: to re-open enrolment in centres that previously ceased enrolment beginning in September 2013, and also to revise child care fees at these centres down from Regional full-cost recovery to conform with the new providers incoming fees.

In response to questions from Councillor Sanderson, Janet Menard advised that the evening care program, previously held at the Chinguacousy location, is being transferred to the Sheridan College location. She added that staff will bring further available details of the lease agreement results to the next meeting of the ELCCTF on October 31, 2013.

In response to a question from Councillor Sprovieri, Janet Menard noted there were no new enrolments since the Regional fees had been raised to full-cost recovery levels.

In response to questions from Councillor Crombie, Janet Menard noted that as part of the overall transition in the system, 113 child care spaces will be lost – due to the closure of one previous Regionally-operated child care centre and the reconfiguration of 4 and 5 years old spaces to infant and toddler spaces – meaning 702 spaces of the original 815 will be maintained in the Region. She added that all lease agreements being negotiated are designed to be inclusive of children with special needs.

In response to questions from Councillor Paterak, Janet Menard noted that all of the lease agreements being negotiated will be looking at cost-recovery for the Region of Peel.

5. COMMUNICATIONS – Nil

6. OTHER BUSINESS – Nil

7. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Early Learning Child Care Task Force is scheduled for Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 9:30 a.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 9:04 a.m.