TORONTO – Steven Del Duca announced that Ontario Liberals will make life more affordable for young families by fully-funding EI benefits for parents who take 18 months of parental leave, boosting the extended benefit by up to $255 per week and committing to fill in the gaps for new parents who don’t currently qualify for Employment Insurance.
“As the dad of two young daughters, I know how much pressure new parents are under, and I don’t want anyone to struggle financially just because they decide to grow their family,” said Del Duca. “Doug Ford has made life harder for parents every step of the way. The cost of everything has skyrocketed and new parents need help – but the Ford Conservatives want to pretend that everything is okay.”
Because child care is costly and the pandemic has upended work-life balance, more parents want to stay home with their kids longer. The Ontario Liberal plan for parents will:
- Give new parents 18 months of parental leave with boosted EI payments;
- Implement $10 per day before- and after-school care;
- Refund families an average of $2,750 per child through a retroactive child care fee reduction to January 1st;
- Expand not-for-profit childcare to improve access for parents working shifts or non-traditional hours;
- Work to ensure parents have flexible and inclusive childcare options, including licensed home care, First Nations-led child care, and child care for diverse families and kids with special needs.
“On June 2, the choice before parents is clear,” continued Del Duca. “Four more years of Doug Ford, who didn’t lift a finger to make life easier or more affordable for families just starting out—or an Ontario Liberal government that will put parents before politics.”