The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Quebec cannot deny subsidized daycare to asylum seekers. In an 8-1 decision delivered on Friday, the court rejected Quebec's appeal of a lower court ruling. The decision stated that the province's regulations, which date back to the previous Couillard government, discriminated against women refugee claimants.
The court emphasized that denying access to subsidized daycare disproportionately affects women, who often bear a greater share of childcare responsibilities. Without daycare, these women face significant barriers to employment and integration into Quebec society. The ruling goes further than a previous Quebec Court of Appeal decision, stating that all refugee claimant parents should have access to subsidized daycare, regardless of work permit status.
Quebec's government argued that its daycare system lacked the capacity to accommodate the children of asylum seekers, estimating the need for 88 additional centres, costing $300 million in infrastructure and $120 million in subsidies. Premier Legault's government has expressed concerns about the strain on the province's daycare network.
The Supreme Court, however, argued that barring refugee claimants from accessing daycare marginalizes them and increases reliance on social assistance, creating costs for the province. The daily cost of subsidized daycare in Quebec is $9.65. This decision marks the third time the Quebec government has been challenged in court over this regulation.
