Quebec City parents press party leaders on daycare access

As Quebec's provincial election approaches, parents in Quebec City are asking party leaders for solutions to the long wait for subsidized daycare spaces. One mother, Cyndie Caron, has been waiting nearly a year for a spot in her neighbourhood and says the delay is making it hard to return to work full time. In SaintJeanBaptiste, about 600 children are on the waitlist for subsidized daycare, and advocates say the broader Quebec City region has around 4,000 children waiting. They argue the shortage is affecting families financially and should be a major campaign issue. The article outlines different party proposals on child care. The CAQ says it would add new subsidized spaces and expand parental leave measures, while the PQ and Quebec Liberal Party are promising thousands of new subsidized spots. The Conservative Party of Quebec is proposing a weekly payment for families who keep young children at home. Childcare advocates say the issue affects not just parents, but the wider economy as well.