Council spares its daycares from axe

Two centres, two after-school programs funded through 2020

Peterborough’s two city-owned daycares and two after-school programs are expected to be saved: city councillors approved a plan Thursday to fund them through 2020, though staff had recommended permanent closure by June.

“I think this makes good sense, to invest in our families and in our children,” said Coun. Kemi Akapo, who moved that the daycares be funded.

Akapo’s motion was to add $227,700 to the 2020 budget to keep Pearson and Peterborough Child Care centres open, as well as the after-school programs at Edmison Heights and Westmount Public Schools.

Those programs were all recommended for closure by city staff in September to deal with impending funding decreases from the provincial government.

To continue to operate the programs for the full year in 2020 would cost the city roughly $2.2 million compared to $1.9 million this year — an increase of $329,000 — due to planned decreases in provincial government funding.

But the city shares the service with Peterborough County and now county council will be asked to pay $102,300 more to keep the daycares open through 2020.

The city’s $227,700, plus $102,300 from the county, would be expected to make up the funding decrease of $329,000 that’s anticipated from the provincial government this year.

The $227,700 addition to the budget equates to 0.13 per cent more on the all-inclusive tax rate.

The plan to increase taxes to keep the daycares open carried with just two councillors voting against it; Lesley Parnell and Henry Clarke.

They said they were concerned that provincial funding decreases will continue for years — and it will get costly.

A recent city staff report anticipates further cuts for two more years, that extra cost to the city would reach about $594,000 annually by 2022.

That’s why councillors also want city staff to investigate the idea of expanding city-run daycares to offer services in the summer and on P.A. days, to generate added revenue.

But demand for those expanded services wouldn’t be expected to be strong enough to make up for the expected funding shortfalls, city staff said.

“It’s not a feasible thing for us to try to pursue,” said community services commissioner Sheldon Laidman.

That didn’t sit well with either Parnell or Clarke.

“I would like to be able to support it — but I can’t,” Clarke said of the motion to save the daycares. “We were told this would be a very difficult budget, and we would have to make hard, hard decisions.”

“When you look at the math, it doesn’t make sense,” said Coun. Lesley Parnell. “And it’s not going to get easier next year.”

But Mayor Diane Therrien said it “irks” her to talk about the ratepayer and ignore children (who don’t happen to pay taxes).

“We’re in the business of building a better city for everyone — not just those on the tax roll.”

Lifeguards saved

Councillors also approved a plan to add $46,919 into the budget for lifeguards at Beavermead and Rogers Cove beaches. It’s going to add 0.03 per cent to the all-inclusive tax rate.