Carleton and University of Ottawa graduate student unions are in dispute with the City of Ottawa over supposed changes to graduate student eligibility in Ottawa’s child-care subsidy policy.
In a letter of protest, Carleton’s Graduate Students’ Association and the Graduate Students’ Association of the University of Ottawa stated they were shocked to learn the city had “removed” the child-care subsidy for low-income graduate students.
According to the city’s child-care subsidy policy, graduate students are only eligible if they are undergoing job-specific training like teacher’s college or community college re-training programs, or are trying to obtain a Canadian equivalency for a foreign post-secondary degree or foreign professional license.
Responding to media coverage, the city’s general manager of community and social services Aaron Burry issued a memo to inform the mayor and council members that graduate students are still eligible for child-care subsidy, and that the city “has not changed its approach to managing childcare subsidies.”
“However, the demand for subsidy is greater than the need,” Burry said via email.
“The City must balance the increased demand across all new applicants with those already waiting and eligible for a subsidy. This means making difficult choices and ensuring the most in need are prioritized.”
Carleton doctorate student Samantha King was informed her subsidy will end in April, and said the city needs to think about how it defines “need.”
“Here I am in the middle of my degree, and I can’t afford to pay for it,” she said. “They’re not allowing me to get an education and have kids at the same time.”
King said her child-care co-ordinator told her it is possible for graduate students to keep the subsidy if they work a 30-hour week that matches the hours of the childcare.
This would be nearly impossible given the schedule and demands of graduate studies, she said.
“I don’t want to work all day, every day, and never see my kids, just to be able to keep them in care from nine to five,” she said. “It doesn’t seem reasonable.”
According to Burry’s memo, there are currently 90 graduate students receiving child-care subsidies from the city.
The child-care subsidy completely covers child-care costs for families earning below $20,000, in accordance with the Ontario Child Care Service Management and Funding Guideline.
Families with an income higher than $20,000 pay 10 per cent of their income. If their income is over $40,000, they pay 30 per cent of their income towards their yearly child care bill.
Fees at the Colonel By Child Care Centre at Carleton range between $1,662.36 and $1,051.89 monthly, depending the age of children, according to its website.
Of the 57 spaces at the child care centre, 34 are subsidized, said office administrator Melanie Foliot. She said with the demand for spaces, the current wait list is over 100.
“Whether it’s in our centre, our city, or province, there’s never enough [spots],” she said.
“We need some help from the province,” said Ottawa city councillor Rick Chiarelli. He said the province contributes 80 per cent of child care funding, and the city contributes 20 per cent.
“Advancing child care to graduate students is a true investment because it actually pays for itself in the long run,” he said.
“We will match every new subsidy the province is providing.”
