Families opt out of daycare after losing affordable funding

Tyler Williams made the difficult decision to pull his two kids out of daycare after Lanark County cut ties with Natural Connections Childcare, an agency operating daycares in eastern Ontario.

"We unfortunately had to say we can’t afford that and we had to walk," said the father of three.

Through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Childcare Program (CWELCC), Williams paid $24 a day per child. Without the subsidy, it now costs $62.50 a day per child.

"This is completely unsustainable for us," he said. "I know there are other parents in the community who had no choice but to pay these rates. They have taken out loans for it."

CTV News Ottawa has repeatedly asked Lanark County officials why the contract was terminated but the only response they gave was that the details of the decision is confidential.

In a statement sent Wednesday, officials said, "we want to assure the public that Lanark County is currently working with local providers to assist them in accessing CWELCC funding."

Williams says he's tried to connect with those local providers, but the outlook is not promising.

"Our kids are 400 and 500 on the waitlist for daycare," he said. "We’re talking to the local agencies and none of them have any available spots right now."

With his wife is back to work from maternity leave, Williams is now staying home with their two youngest kids.

"I’m going to try to work at night. I run my own business so I reduced hours for the time being," he said.

They have some help from their parents, but it is not a viable solution.