Growing Spaces for Growing Families

"Investing in childcare spaces is the ultimate economic engine, making life more affordable for families today while building our workforce for the future."

Austin Vieira

 

In Toronto, childcare coverage is typically measured by the number of licensed spaces available per 100 non-school-age children. As of the third quarter of 2025, the average childcare coverage rate across all Toronto neighbourhoods is 46.5% (or 46.5 spaces per 100 children), an increase from 41.5% in late 2022.

Woodbine-Lumsden
This neighborhood has historically struggled with some of the lowest coverage in the ward, often dipping near or below the 30% threshold. It is characterized by high demand, but fewer large-scale licensed centers compared to its southern neighbors.

Crescent Town/Taylor-Massey
While technically split between wards, the Taylor-Massey area (bordering the northern edge of Ward 19) is a significant childcare desert. It often records coverage rates between 20% and 25%, making it one of the most underserved areas in the east end.

There are also several neighborhoods in Ward 19 that do not technically qualify as "deserts" (below 30%) but still have inadequate coverage that falls below the city's 50% target for 2026:


O'Connor-Parkview
The current coverage here is approximately 51.5%. While better than a desert, it remains "inadequate" by city planning standards.


Danforth Village
This area frequently sees coverage in the 35% to 45% range, meaning more than half of the children in the area do not have a licensed space available.

Solutions:

Targeted Infrastructure Expansion:

Repurpose Surplus Public Space: We need to audit and convert underutilized city-owned properties, community centres, and vacant TTC lands in Woodbine-Lumsden into licensed childcare spaces.

Mandate Childcare in New Developments: We must enforce section 37/Community Benefits Agreements on all new high-rise developments along the Danforth, legally requiring developers to build turn-key childcare facilities.

Focused Support for Underserved Hubs:

Create a Taylor-Massey Cross-Ward Taskforce: We need to partner with the neighbouring ward councillors to establish an immediate emergency childcare hub in the Crescent Town/Taylor-Massey area, utilizing local schools and community hubs to rapidly add spaces.

Fast-Track Approvals in Danforth Village: We need to offer a "Red Tape Reduction" promise for non-profit operators, cutting municipal licensing and zoning wait times in half for home-based and commercial daycare conversions. Workforce and Financial Incentives:

Launch a Local ECE Retention Bonus: We need to create municipal top-up grants for Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) working in designated "childcare deserts" like Woodbine-Lumsden to fix the staffing shortages.

Expand Subsidized Capital Grants: We need a targeted shift in the City of Toronto's childcare capital funding, prioritizing O'Connor-Parkview and Danforth Village non-profit operators who apply to expand their existing capacity.

Diaperbank

 

Establishing a diaper bank is highly feasible for Ward 19/Beaches-East York, as it addresses a critical "hidden" cost of living. In Toronto, more than 1 in 5 families face diaper insecurity. Unlike food, diapers are not covered by most provincial support programs, and the average cost is approximately $1,200 per year per child. Facilitating a partnership between the Diaper Bank of Toronto and Ward 19’s recreation centers to create permanent "Diaper Drop Zones" would benefit many families throughout the ward.

To ensure equitable access, distribution should be concentrated in areas with lower childcare coverage, such as Woodbine-Lumsden, O'Connor-Parkview, Crescent Town/Massey-Taylor, and the Danforth Village.


Northern Hub (O'Connor-Parkview):
The Giving Treehouse Toronto, located at 1450 O'Connor Drive, is a non-profit that already provides compassionate support for teenage mothers and new immigrants and runs a food bank. It is the ideal primary partner for a diaper bank in the ward's northern tip.

Central Hub (Woodbine-Lumsden / Danforth):
Earl Beatty Community Centre, located at 455 Glebeholme Blvd, is a major recreation hub for families in the centre of the ward and could host a permanent "Diaper Drop Zone".
Main Street Library, located at 137 Main St, is centrally located for families in both the Danforth and Upper Beaches areas.

Southern Hub (The Beaches):
Community Centre 55, located at 97 Main St, already runs a multi-site licensed childcare program and "Share A Christmas" donation drives, making them an experienced partner for managing supply logistics.

Eastern Hub (Crescent Town/Massey-Taylor):
Crescent Town Club, located at 2A The Market Place, is ideal as it serves as the literal and social anchor for one of Toronto’s most densely populated and diverse communities.

Implementation:
Donation Pipeline: Create a "Porch Pickup" program in the more affluent south (The Beaches) to collect outgrown diapers and transport them to the northern hubs.

Corporate Partnership: Advocate for the City to partner with local retailers on O'Connor Drive (such as the No Frills or Shoppers Drug Mart) to allow for "Point-of-Sale" donations where residents can buy a pack of diapers for the bank at a discount.