Michal Perlman

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If governments don’t address equitable access to affordable care, inequities will harden and the intergenerational cycle of poverty will deepen. Children play at a child-care centre in Stouffville, Ont., May 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Child‑care affordability is coming at the expense of equity — and it’s time governments acted

Kerry McCuaig, University of Toronto; Michal Perlman, University of Toronto; Nina Howe, Concordia University, and Petr Varmuza, University of Toronto

The $10-a-day plan was meant to give every child an equal start in life, but right now, the families who need care the most are being left behind.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford visits a child-care centre in Brampton, Ont., on March 28, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Ontario needs to remove barriers to child‑care subsidies for low‑income families

Michal Perlman, University of Toronto; Petr Varmuza, University of Toronto, and Samantha Burns, University of Toronto

For vulnerable and marginalized groups, access to early learning and child care remains uncertain. Inclusive access must become a top priority to achieve affordable care for all families.
As toddlers form peer relationships, social pretend play and games increase. (Shutterstock)

Toddlers can engage in complex games as they get to know each other over time

Zhangjing Luo, University of Toronto; Hildy Ross, University of Waterloo; Michal Perlman, University of Toronto, and Nina Howe, Concordia University

A unique dataset from 32 children on 36 different play dates provided the opportunity to study how young children develop peer relationships, and how consistent they are with different children.
Child-care policy needs to be designed to ensure children have stable access to high-quality care. (Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages)

Low‑income families should not lose child‑care subsidies while on parental leave

Samantha Burns, University of Toronto; Calpanaa Jegatheeswaran, University of Toronto; Michal Perlman, University of Toronto; Petr Varmuza, University of Toronto, and Sumayya Saleem, University of Toronto

Stable child care can protect kids in the face of major life stressors — so should subsidy policies.
Ontario’s child care policy now creates a universal, flat-fee child care for medium and high-income families but doesn’t guarantee subsidies to low-income families. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Ontario’s child‑care agreement is poised to fail low‑income children and families

Petr Varmuza, University of Toronto; Linda A. White, University of Toronto, and Michal Perlman, University of Toronto

Ontario’s flat fee for child care should be replaced by an income-tested fee reflecting family incomes.
Children whose parents work irregular hours and children from families with lower incomes are over-represented in home child care. (Shutterstock)

Home child care in Canada should be affordable, high‑quality — and licensed

Petr Varmuza, University of Toronto; Linda A. White, University of Toronto, and Michal Perlman, University of Toronto

A renewed model for oversight and support of all home child-care providers would ensure that our society’s youngest and most vulnerable people have access to safe and higher-quality home child care.
Scotland is making strides in improving its population’s social and physical well-being — by taking children’s early learning and care outside. (Shutterstock)

Scotland’s outdoor play initiative has some lessons for the rest of the world

Michal Perlman, University of Toronto; Catherine Bergeron, McGill University, and Nina Howe, Concordia University

Scotland is undertaking a child-care initiative to double the number of fully funded child-care hours available to parents, and outdoor play is part of it.
A photo of the last truck to be assembled on the General Motors production line, shown at a sports bar where GM workers congregated after their work work at the General Motors plant in Oshawa, Ont., on its final day of vehicle production, on Dec. 18, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim

Canada can better prepare to retrain workers displaced by disruptive technologies

Alix J. Jansen, University of Toronto; Beth Martin, University of Toronto; Elizabeth Dhuey, University of Toronto; Linda A. White, University of Toronto, and Michal Perlman, University of Toronto

The federal government must take a stronger leadership role to ensure the many bodies that co-ordinate employment training programs are sharing information to develop best practices.
Reducing the number of child care subsidies will mean that some parents will not be able to support their families or continue their studies. (Shutterstock)

Ontario’s child‑care cuts will hurt low‑income parents working or studying full time

Linda A. White, University of Toronto; Elizabeth Dhuey, University of Toronto; Michal Perlman, University of Toronto, and Petr Varmuza, University of Toronto

For better childhood developmental outcomes and better economics, and in the absence of other long-recommended child care policies, the child care subsidy system should be expanded, not cut.
The Ontario government tabled legislation Dec.6 which would increase the number of young children who can be cared for at once by home child care providers. The proposed legislation is as part of larger reform measures introduced under the Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act that the province says will cut red tape for businesses. Shutterstock

The Ontario government’s plan to loosen child‑care rules is dangerous

Petr Varmuza, University of Toronto; Linda A. White, University of Toronto, and Michal Perlman, University of Toronto

Low-income, less-educated parents with non-standard work schedules rely most on home child-care providers whose rules would be relaxed under proposed legislation.
Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada’s minister of Families, Children and Social Development, plays with children at a licensed YMCA daycare in downtown Toronto on March 29, 2017. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim)

Will Ontario child‑care dollars come with a commitment to quality and safety?

Linda A. White, University of Toronto; Adrienne Davidson, University of Toronto, and Michal Perlman, University of Toronto

Until all child care facilities are licensed – and required to undergo criminal record checks, fire safety inspections and first aid training – children will continue to die.

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