Despite outcry from city councillors and local advocates over changes to child care funding, the PC government is standing by its updated funding model.
"I'm rock solid that $461 million is going to go to the City of Toronto to help with operational expenditures," MPP Stan Cho said, the parliamentary assistant to the minister of finance. "I'm rock solid on the fact that over $87 million is going to open 51 new child care service centres."
The planned centres are currently at the heart of the latest squabble between the city and the province over funding.
The 51 locations include over 3,000 spots, with the previous Liberal Government agreeing to pay 100 per cent of the operational costs.
However according to a city staff report, in April, the province informed the city it would honour the capital costs, so long as other operational costs are covered.
The city also currently has until August 26th to inform the province which projects can go ahead, but council will vote on requesting to have until October 26th to prioritize the centres.
"We simply can't provide that commitment in that amount time," councillor Mike Layton said.
Cho maintains the province's contribution of operational funding, along with their CARE tax credit is sufficient for city needs, so long as the city find efficiencies.
The provincial government is pointing to the 2018 city's auditor-general report into child care, which among its findings, said the city could find $28 million in annual savings without a budget increase.
As for the shift in total operational funding, Cho blamed the Liberals.
"They were trying to hang on to power frankly and making these promises that were unsustainable, they didn't even have a number attached to this operational funding that they're speaking of," he said.
Cho also called last year's vacancy rate in city-run facilities "unacceptable" at 16 per cent.
However, Carolyn Ferns with the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care said that's because many parents can't afford a space without a subsidy.
"If they can't pay for it and they're on that waiting list for a child care subsidy, then that space sits vacant," she said. "Every day a space sits vacant, the operators will tell you, that puts their program at risk."
"So actually provincial funding cuts make that situation so much worse."
Cho, whose mother ran a daycare in Toronto, said he emphasize with parents in that position, pointing to the government introducing the CARE tax credit.
But Cho admits the credit - which would offer the average family $1,250 for whatever child care they want - would only partly address the vacancy problem.
"There are other ways to save that money," he said, adding the city has to operate its centres more efficiently.
The PC government has reversed spending cuts before, including to autism, municipalities and public health amidst public outcry.
Cho said while they're always willing to listen while defending their funding decisions, councillor Joe Cressy vowed for more resistance.
"When you make bad cuts, people will stand up and speak out and I expect and fully hope that they'll reverse course," he said. "These cuts are impacting children and families and that's simply a line that you don't cross in this province."