STAFF REPORT
March 6, 2000
To: Community services Committee
From: Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood services
Subject:Update on the Status of the York Before and After School Program Closure
Purpose:
This report provides an update on the impact of the intended closure of the Toronto District School Board's before and
After School Program in the former City of York previously reported to the Community Services Committee November 4,
1999. This report also answers specific questions raised at that time concerning possible future service solutions for the
families affected by the impending closure.
Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
No provision to address service shortfalls created by the Board's intention to terminate funding for the York Before and
After School Program have been made in the 2000 budget request of Children's Services and none are explicitly
recommended in this report. Therefore, this report has no immediate financial implications.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1)departmental officials continue to support members of Council in their discussions with the Toronto District School
Board officials, families affected by the intended program closure and prospective service agencies in the community
desirous of developing alternate service solutions;
(2)departmental officials urge affected families to be assessed for potential subsidy eligibility;
(3)Council notify the Minister of Education and Training of the adverse impact their new educational funding formula is
having on this non-licensed child care program in the York community;
(4)departmental officials continue to explore through the budget process and within the budget finally approved by
Council a strategy whereby a portion of one-time transition costs for replacement of services might be shared with the
Toronto District School Board and the affected parents and that this potential strategy be the subject of a subsequent report
to Council; and
(5)the appropriate City officials take the necessary action to give effect thereto.
Background:
On October 26, 1999, Children's Services received notification from the Toronto District School Board of a resolution
passed at its June 23, 1999 Board meeting to end funding to the Before and After School program delivered by the Board
in the former City of York effective June 30, 2000 unless alternate funding could be found. A report was made to the
November 4, 1999 Community Services Committee advising of the service impact and providing preliminary estimates of
replacement costs for the program. The Committee directed the department to confirm the service and funding impacts and
to explore strategies for preserving the service by raising parent fees or funding pilot projects. This report provides the
requested clarification as well as an update on community discussions to date.
Comments:
Estimates of service statistics and funding costs included in the original November 1, 1999 report from the Department
were based on preliminary Board estimates which have since been corrected and confirmed. Based on current information,
there are 947 children registered for after school programs and 570 children registered for before school programs in this
unlicensed Before and After School program run in schools belonging to the former York Board of Education. Many of the
children registered in the morning are also registered in the afternoon program. Parents pay separately for the before and
after school components. Before school programming costs $20.00 per month and after school programming costs $35.00
per month. There is an additional charge of $5.00 per month for a breakfast component. The Toronto District Board of
Education estimates the total operating costs of this program to be $1,300,000.00 of which $300,000.00 is parent revenue.
The Department has also confirmed that the staff running the current program are not unionized. Union succession rights
are, therefore, not a consideration as originally suggested in the November 1, 1999 report.
The Toronto District School Board hosted a community meeting on January 31, 2000 to discuss the announced program
closure with staff and parents. Approximately, 200 parents were in attendance at this original meeting. Three child care
operators were also invited to address the parents and describe the nature and cost of possible replacement programs, which
they would be willing to develop and operate if there was sufficient interest expressed and if adequate funding could be
assured. The three child care organizations included: the YMCA, PLASP (Peel Lunch and After School Program) and LEF
(Learning Enrichment Foundation). Proposals for both licensed and non-licensed program alternatives were presented. The
associated costs varied depending on the operator and the licensing status of the programs proposed and ranged from a high
of $295.00 per month for one licensed option to a low of $198.00 per month for a non-licensed Boys and Girls Club type
model. Families expressed concern that based on the costing provided, they would face increases of about four times their
current fees for any of the replacement models discussed.
A local survey to assess the level of parental interest in the replacement programs discussed has been undertaken by LEF.
Preliminary results suggest that there is only sufficient family interest to develop and operate programs in about half of the
former 23 service site locations. Parents have indicated an initial willingness to pay only about $100.00 per month, which
is approximately twice what they are presently paying for service and only half of what the actual costs of replacement
programs would be.
While some families may be eligible under the regular child care fee subsidy program, all of the subsidized spaces
currently allocated to the York Humber and York Eglinton wards are fully utilized and there is already a waiting list of
approximately 700 children awaiting placement in subsidized care. Under the existing service plan for child care, these two
wards currently receive their fair share of the available City-wide subsidy for schoolage children. To enter into purchase of
service contracts with new programs developed for schoolage children would only spread the available subsidy more thinly
among existing operators as no expansion in fee subsidy funding appears imminent. A further complication is that under
the conditions of the provincial Day Nurseries Act, cost shared child care fee subsidy money can only be spent on licensed
child care arrangements. The cheaper Boys and Girls Club option currently under consideration would therefore, not be
eligible for a regular fee subsidy contract with the City.
Discussions involving the Board of Education, community service providers, affected families and City staff and
Councillors have explored in a very preliminary way the possibility of some type of one time transition funding to assist
families to adjust to the closure of their inexpensive Board operated program and phase in the higher costs associated with
replacement services currently under discussion. A three-way funding proposal in which the City, the Board and the
parents would each be asked to contribute $160,000.00 fiscally towards the cost of replacement care in 2000 is receiving
preliminary consideration. The Department has indicated that should the Board and parents indicate support for such a
shared funding proposal, that a further report to Council would be necessary indicating where City funds might be found
within the Children's Services budget ultimately approved by Council.
Conclusions:
The department will continue to support City Councillors in their ongoing discussions with the community as alternate
service solutions are sought and will explore strategies that might allow one time service transition costs to be cost shared
with the Board and affected families. However, as indicated above, any such cost sharing proposal would be the subject of
a future report and request for Council consideration and approval. This present report is submitted for information only.
Contact:
Brenda Patterson
Director, Contracted Services Unit
Children's Services Division
Tel: 392-3319
Email: patterso@csis.csis.csd.metrotor.on.ca
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General Manager of Children's Services
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Commissioner of Community & Neighbourhood Services
