Naila Saeed’s Perspective on Affordable Daycare – Talk Show on TVO
Naila Saeed, representing EYES Child Care, was invited to the talk show to discuss her concerns about the rollout of $10-a-day daycare in Ontario. Nam Kiwanuka, the host of the show, asked Naila if her daycare was one of the for-profit daycares that put pressure on the government for changes to the program. Naila confirmed that her daycare was indeed one of them.
Naila expressed her concerns as a for-profit daycare operator. She mentioned that they had invested a significant amount of capital in building their centers and were worried about the bottom line. She highlighted specific areas of concern, such as how the program would cover the cost of loans, mortgage interest, and other investments.
Nam acknowledged the role of for-profit daycares in filling the gap that existed before the implementation of the program. She also questioned whether it was fair to exclude for-profit providers from the discussions and decision-making process. Naila agreed and mentioned that while non-profit providers had representation, for-profit providers like her were not included.
Naila emphasized the importance of for-profit providers partnering with the government to fulfill the community’s needs and meet the program’s requirements. She noted that the government needed their partnership to properly execute and deliver affordable daycare services to the community.
The conversation then shifted to Cassidy Combden, a private daycare provider who expressed her frustration that home-based child care providers were not eligible for the program. Cassidy emphasized the need for an overhaul of the current system and better inclusion of home-based providers in the discussions.
Overall, Naila’s view was focused on the concerns of for-profit daycare operators and their desire to be included in the decision-making process. The transcript highlighted her perspective and emphasized that she was invited to the talk show to share her views on the topic.
