The Early Learning and Child Care in Peel Council Task Force met on Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 9:40 a.m., in the Council Chamber, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A, Brampton.

Members Present:	S. Hames; E. Kolb; E. Moore; P. Palleschi; R. Paterak; J. Sanderson; J. Sprovieri
Members Absent:	B. Crombie, due to a personal matter; G. Miles, due to illness; P. Saito, due to other municipal business
Also Present:	N. Trim, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Corporate Services; J. Menard, Commissioner of Human Services; L. Duarte, Director, Strategic Policy, Planning and Partnerships; J. Kaczmarski, Director, Service System Management; S. Pace, Director, Children’s Service Operations; 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 E. Moore.

1. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION ELCCTF-5-2013:

That the agenda for the October 31, 2013, Early Learning and Child Care Task Force meeting be approved.

3. PRESENTATIONS/DELEGATIONS

a) Early Learning and Child Care System Update (Oral)

Presentation by Joan Kaczmarski, Director, Service System Management, and Terrence Balliram, Supervisor of Finance and Program Administration

Received

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

Joan Kaczmarski, Director, Service System Management, and Terrence Balliram, Supervisor of Finance and Program Administration, provided information regarding the progress made on previous Regional Council directions regarding for the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) System in the Region of Peel, given the implementation of province-wide Full Day Kindergarten (FDK). They reported increased access to fee subsidy, including the elimination of the waitlist for subsidy; increased special needs supports, including more children receiving support and a new Region of Peel Strategy for Special Needs; increased quality support in areas such as enhanced quality assurance, training partnerships and further support to programs such as Raising the Bar; and a new local funding model that has created a transitional operating grant for providers to help with system stability and transformation.

Item 3.d was dealt with.

d) Jim Grieve, Assistant Deputy Minister, Early Years Division, Ministry of Education, Providing an Update on the Ministry of Education’s Planning and Priorities

Received

Items related to Reports – Item 4.c was dealt with.

c) Proposed 2014 Early Learning and Child Care Funding Allocation Approach

RECOMMENDATION ELCCTF-6-2013:

That the proposed allocation approach for Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) funding in the 2014 budget, be supported;

And further, that Regional ELCC funding of $265,000 in 2013 and $279,000 in 2014 be approved to support requests made to the Community Investment Program (CIP) from agencies serving children and families for total one-time funding of $544,000 over two years.

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

Jim Grieve, Assistant Deputy Minister, Early Years Division, Ministry of Education, provided information regarding the Province of Ontario’s vision for the modern ELCC system; emphasizing quality, collaboration and accountability to ensure children are both competent and capable. He emphasized that the province is working toward reform of several aspects of the provincial ELCC system including: updating the Day Nurseries Act and Early Childhood Educators Act, and simplifying the licensing and inspection process.

In response to a question from Councillor Sprovieri, Jim Grieve noted that unlicensed and private child care still accounts for approximately 78 per cent of total child care but is not well regulated by the current Day Nurseries Act – which only looks at number of children per private care as the condition of oversight. He advised for this reason the province is looking to reform the Act for improved regulations and rules around unlicensed child care.

Regional Chair Kolb inquired if staff could work with Jim Grieve to schedule him for a date in the future to delegate to Regional Council.

b) Kristi Morgan, ErinoakKids and Lindsay Hillier, Surrey Place Centre, Special Needs Steering Committee Members, Presenting the Peel Special Needs Strategy for Early Learning

Received

Items related to Reports – Item 4.d was dealt with.

d) Peel Special Needs Strategy for Early Learning and Child Care

RECOMMENDATION ELCCTF-7-2013:

That the Peel Special Needs Strategy for Early Learning and Child Care be supported, as satisfying the direction of Regional Council.

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

Kristi Morgan and Lindsay Hillier, Special Needs Steering Committee Members, provided information regarding the Region of Peel’s Strategy for Special Needs. It was emphasized how the process of developing the strategy has shown that the current system of support is confusing for parents and needs to be simplified. It was also emphasized how inclusiveness is the most important skill that needs to be provided and coordinated amongst caregivers to ensure a proactive approach to caring for children with special needs. The delegates noted that the Strategy is still being refined but should be ready for implementation after January, 2014.

c) Update on Withdrawal from Direct Delivery of Child Care Services (Oral)

Presentation by Sonia Pace, Director, Children's Services Operations

Received

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

Sonia Pace, Director, Children’s Services Operations, provided information regarding the first official transfer of direct delivery operations at the Lancaster Child Care Centre in Malton to PLASP Child Care Services to take place in early 2014. She also noted that all other negotiations are still underway and going well, however exact dates for transfer of operations are still not known at this point, but will be reported once finalized.

d) Jim Grieve, Assistant Deputy Minister, Early Years Division, Ministry of Education, Providing an Update on the Ministry of Education’s Planning and Priorities

This item was dealt with earlier in the meeting.

4. REPORTS

a) 2013 Early Learning and Child Care Special Purpose and Capital Retrofit Funding Distribution

RECOMMENDATION ELCCTF-8-2013:

That $800,000 in Capital Retrofit funds be transferred to Best Start reserve (R1258), as permitted by Provincial guidelines, to support non-profit licensed child care agencies with planned retrofits in 2014.

b) Child Care Fee Subsidy For 3.8-5 Year Olds

RECOMMENDATION ELCCTF-9-2013:

That the availability of fee subsidy for Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) eligible children once Year 5 of FDK implementation occurs in 2014 be limited to extended day programs for non-instructional hours.

c) Proposed 2014 Early Learning and Child Care Funding Allocation Approach

This item was dealt with earlier in the meeting.

d) Peel Special Needs Strategy for Early Learning and Child Care

This item was dealt with earlier in the meeting.

5. COMMUNICATIONS – Nil

6. IN CAMERA MATTERS

At 11:14 a.m., in accordance with section 239(2) of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended, a motion was placed, and was carried, to move into closed session to consider the following subject matter:

a) Proposed Leases for Child Care Facilities (A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board)

The Committee moved out of In Camera at 11:20 a.m.

7. OTHER BUSINESS – Nil

8. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Early Learning Child Care Task Force is scheduled for Thursday, January 30, 2014 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.

9. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.