April 5, 2022
BGC St. Alban's Club statement
We believe in the need for quality, affordable childcare for all Canadian families. We support the provincial and federal government’s commitment to creating a province-wide early learning and childcare program that is accessible to more families.
The Ontario and Canadian governments have reached an agreement that they say will ensure lower costs and increased access to quality childcare options. The program aims to reduce daycare fees to an average of $10/day by 2025.
The agreement aims to create 86,000 new, high-quality childcare spaces, improve compensation for those working in licensed childcare, and support the recruitment of new early childcare educators as demand is expected to grow. Quality, affordable childcare contributes to strong families and strong communities and gives children more opportunities to thrive. As part of BGC Canada, St. Alban’s continues to urge governments to provide affordable childcare and recreation options for all children and youth.
With our senior executive team and our Board of Directors, we are reviewing the details of the agreement and what opting in would mean for the staff and families at BGC St. Alban’s Club Preschool.
What we know so far:
- Individual childcare centres can opt-in or out of the new program
- The program is available to private, for-profit and not-for-profit licensed centres and licensed home daycares.
- The decision to opt-in or out needs to be made by September 1st, 2022, and if we opt-in, funding will be sent to the centre to reimburse parents for 25% of fees paid from April 1st onwards
- The increased wages for RECEs does not apply to us because we already pay our staff higher wages than the amounts stipulated in the agreement ($18/hour).
- In fact, by opting in, we would need to agree to freeze any daycare staff’s wages that make over $32,000/year for three years. In order to pay and retain staff in a field where opportunities at new centres and schools will grow, we believe that paying a fair wage is essential. The ability to retain well trained, experienced, dedicated staff is one of the main contributors to a quality daycare program for kids and families.
- It is difficult to expect a staff rate in other parts of Ontario to be the same as in Toronto based on cost of living.
- We would need to determine if we can top up the wage over the three year period through other means (i.e., fundraising)
- The effect on staff wages is our primary concern in thinking about opting into this program.
- We do offer spaces for families who qualify for reduced fees under the City of Toronto’s subsidy program. It is our understanding that this program will continue to run even when the new agreement starts, however we would need to confirm before agreeing to participate.
- Historically, the Club’s fee for service revenue has allowed the Club to reinvest in high priority areas (Jane and Finch, Weston-Mount Dennis, Lawrence Heights) and develop much needed BGC programs in those communities. We expect that opting into this agreement will eliminate that opportunity.
We are very optimistic about what this new program might mean for families in low-income communities such as the families we serve in Jane and Finch, Weston-Mount Dennis and Lawrence Heights. While $10/day is a significant cost savings for many Canadian families, it is still out of reach for many families experiencing poverty and barriers to employment. We hope to see how the plan might include fully funded daycare programs for families and communities that need it.
BGC Clubs often work in neighbourhoods that are at greatest risk and we are encouraged by the Ontario government’s commitment to supporting the needs of diverse and underserved populations, including low-income, francophone, Indigenous, Black, other racialized and newcomer communities, as well as vulnerable and special needs children.
The agreement between centres and the province has specific requirements that we are waiting to see and review with our executive team, parents, and board of directors.
Should you have any questions about what this agreement would mean for BGC St. Alban’s Club, please contact:
Chris Foster
Executive Director
Karen Grant
Preschool Manager
Don Stewart
President, Board of Directors
Registration for Spring Swimming programs opens at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 1. Programs: Swim Lessons Lane Swim Aquafit with Kelly Ziger Spring session begins the week of April 13 and ends the day of Monday, June 15. Spaces are limited so register quickly!
We're thrilled to announce that the Jr. NBA program is now offered at BGC St. Alban's Club! To learn more, visit our web page . Registration is open ! Details Ages 6-12 Saturdays 10:30 a.m. - noon Main clubhouse Start date: Feb 28, 2026 Duration: 8 weeks Cost: $120 Uniform and equipment provided. Open to the public
Relax and de-stress every Tuesday evening with our drop-in Yoga class! Adults (18+) Every Tuesday beginning March 3 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. BGC St. Alban’s Club Dance Studio Free for members! To register, email anna@stalbansclub.ca . Class dates: March 3 March 10 March 24 March 31 April 7 April 14 April 21 April 28 Note: there is no class on March 17 for March Break.
BGC St. Alban's Club offers a range of summer camp for kids and youth of all ages and interests. For children ages 4-12: Variety Camps: A little bit of everything to ensure a fun-filled summer. Sports Camps: Hone your athletic skills and build teamwork in a range of sports. Junior Mad Science Camp: Experiment, explore, and discover the fascinating world of science. Dynamic Dance Camp: Move, perform and shine in this fun, energetic creative movement camp. Photography Camp: Capture the world through the lens of a camera. LEGO Robotics Camp: Combine the fun of LEGO with the excitement of robotics. Art Attack Camp: Unleash your inner artist and create masterpieces in a variety of mediums. Jr. Beat Lab (Music): Create your own music and discover the world of sound. Musical Theatre Camp: Take the stage and develop your acting, singing, and dancing skills. Gaming Camp: Explore, design, and create games across board, digital, escape room, and virtual reality platforms. And for youth ages 12-16: Leadership in Training: Our Leader in Training (LIT) camp is a fun, one-week program designed to help teens build confidence and develop essential skills as they prepare for their first work experience. Outdoor Leadership: Experience the ultimate summer adventure with our two-week immersive youth camp. Gaming: In this unique one-week program, youth will get the opportunity to explore, play design and create games in a variety of mediums. To learn more and register, visit https://app.amilia.com/store/en/stalbansbgc/api/Program/List .
In 1979, Toronto became the first municipality in Canada to proclaim Black History Month! Check out the city's 2026 events and exhibits showcasing the enormous contributions of the Black culture and community: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/black-history-month/
BGC St. Alban's Club is offering a variety of camps for kids and youth this summer. Full program information will be posted on Thursday, January 19 at 10 a.m., with registration opening on Wednesday, February 4 at 10 a.m. Stay tuned!
BGC St. Alban's Club offers a range of March Break programs for kids ages 4-14 Registration opens Friday, January 9 at 10 a.m. K-GRADE 6 Our full-day March Break Camp is available to kids in Kindergarten through Grade 6. Children will spend an exciting day engaging in a variety of activities such as energetic games, creative arts and crafts, as well as both indoor and outdoor entertainment. Kinder Camp (Ages 4 to 5) Variety Camp 1 (Ages 6 to 7) Variety Camp 2 (Ages 8 to 9) Variety Camp 3 Ages 10 to 12) Dance Camp (Ages 8 to 12) Art Attack Camp (Ages 6-12) Sports Camp – All-Star Edition (Ages 6-12) YOUTH Beat Lab (Ages 10 to 14) Campers will get a chance to work with one of our professional producers in a small group to create a song from start to finish, (including artwork and publishing online)! Participants will learn to work with digital music software Ableton Live as well as play instruments, sing and rap. No experience necessary. March Break Excursion (Ages 12 to 14) Our Youth March Break Excursion offers exciting daily outings around the city, led by our experienced youth team. Each day features a different local adventure, giving youth the chance to explore, try new activities, and connect with peers. Each activity can be booked individually so youth can pick and choose which days are suited to them. Please note that each outing will run based on sufficient registration numbers for that specific day.
All ages! No experience or partner necessary. The Scottish Country Dance Association of Toronto is holding a fundraising event for BGC St. Alban's Club on Saturday, January 17 between 2 and 4 p.m. Child: 5$ Adult: 10$ Family (4 ppl): $20 Main clubhouse 843 Palmerston Ave. Bring indoor shoes and a water bottle! All proceeds go to supporting BGC St. Alban's Club
Keep your kids active and happy over the holidays! BGC St. Alban's is hosting a day camp for kids ages 4-12 in late December and early January. The camp runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the following dates. Monday, December 22 Monday, December 29 Tuesday, December 30 Monday, January 2 Spaces are limited so register today!
As little as $5 makes a BIG difference! Every cent donated goes to supporting kids and families across Toronto. Monthly donations allow us to provide even more programs and services like after school programs, childcare, summer camps, youth job training, adult literacy and so much more. Donors can choose how they'd like their support to be used. For more information, visit our fundraising page or contact us at info@stalbansclub.ca .
