Item - 2019.EC8.15

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council request the General Manager, Children's Services to:

a. Continue to work closely with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to identify potential solutions for the school board to continue operating EarlyON Centres, and report back with an update in the second quarter of 2020;

b. Continue the detailed "cost of service analysis" of EarlyON program costs, including the funding benchmarks and review the EarlyON job classes and functions to identify potential changes in the Children's Services Operating and Business Practice Guidelines for 2021;

c. Consider the development of a growth strategy based on the equity-based planning approach as part of the 2020-2025 Early Years Service Plan;

d. Work with the Provincial and Federal governments to increase funding for Toronto EarlyON Child and Family Centres in the next round of funding under the Canada-Ontario Bilateral Agreement and Action Plan on Early Learning and Child Care;

e. Continue, as directed by City Council on June 18, 2019 in MM8.12 and MM8.47, to work with local Councillors and other service providers, to identify replacement sites for the EarlyON programs which were closed in the Niagara Street Junior Public School and the Blake Street Junior Public School.

This report responds to two Member's Motions adopted by City Council at its meeting of June 18th, 2019, where the General Manager, Children's Services was directed to work with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and other community partners to identify options for the replacement of the EarlyON Centres at Niagara Street Junior Public School and Blake Street Junior Public School, as these Centres have been slated for closure due to space issues caused by the need to implement alternate programming at these locations.

This report also provides an update on the risk of additional closures of EarlyON Centres operated by the TDSB as a result of ongoing financial pressures being faced by the TDSB.

As well, this report outlines the equity-based planning approach used to guide Children's Services’ decisions about investments and funding reallocations within the EarlyON system. This evidence-based approach uses relevant demographic and service level data to identify service gaps and opportunities to enhance service access for vulnerable families.