Bill 1430 — Child Care Act (47th General Assembly, 3rd Session)
Bill 1430
Newfoundland and Labrador — Bills
Third
Session, 47th General Assembly
Elizabeth II, 2014
BILL 30
AN ACT TO REGULATE
CHILD CARE SERVICES
Received and Read the First Time .................................................................................................
Second Reading .................................................................................................................................
Committee ..........................................................................................................................................
Third Reading .....................................................................................................................................
Royal Assent ......................................................................................................................................
HONOURABLE
SUSAN SULLIVAN
Minister of Education and Early Childhood
Development
Ordered
to be printed by the Honourable House of Assembly
EXPLANATORY NOTES
This Bill would repeal and replace
the Child Care Services Act .
The Bill would
require child care services and
agencies to be licensed unless exempt;
establish the licensing process;
appoint inspectors and
establish the powers of inspectors to carry out inspections of child care
services and agencies; and
establish the process for
issuing orders when a child care service or agency violates the Act or the
regulations.
A BILL
AN ACT TO REGULATE CHILD CARE SERVICES
Analysis
Short title
Definitions
Labrador Inuit rights
PART
ADMINISTRATION
Provincial Director of Child Care
Managers
Inspectors
Protection from liability
PART
LICENCES
Child care service
Agency
Application for licence
Renewal and variation
Issuance
Refusal to issue, renew or vary
Licences generally
Terms
Suspension and revocation
Review of suspension or revocation
Consequences of suspension or revocation
PART
III
INSPECTIONS AND VIOLATION ORDERS
Inspections
Warrants
Telewarrants
Inspection report
Consequences of non-compliance
Requirements of violation orders
Review of violation orders
PART
INFORMATION AND ACCESS
Application of this
Part
Information is confidential
Access to information
Entry to facility
Posting of violation orders and other
documents
PART
GENERAL
Offence
Service
Statutory review
Regulations
Fees and forms
PART
TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS, CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS AND COMMENCEMENT
Transitional
SNL2010 cC-12.2 Amdt.
SNL2001 cC-14.1 Amdt.
SNL2005 cS-16.2 Amdt.
SNL1993 cT-4.1 Amdt.
SNL1998 cC-11.1 Rep.
Commencement
Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and
House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows:
Short title
1. This
Act may be cited as the Child Care Act .
Definitions
2. In
this Act
(a) "affiliated child care service provider"
means a person who is a child care service provider operating a child care
service in a family home and who holds an approval certificate issued by an
agency;
(b) "agency" means an agency referred to
in subsection 9(2);
(c) "agent" means a person who or an organization
that operates an agency;
(d) "approval certificate" means the
document referred to in subsection 9(3);
(e) "child" means a person younger than 13
years old;
(f) "child care service" means an activity
or other arrangement that provides temporary care or supervision of a child but
does not include
(
i) transition to school activities provided to
children before entry to Kindergarten that are developed and approved by the Department
of Education and Early Childhood Development,
(ii) activities or other arrangements of artistic instruction,
tutoring or sports that are provided to children who are enrolled in school
full-time,
(iii) day camps during school breaks that are
provided to children who are enrolled in school full-time,
(iv) an occasional activity or other arrangement of
more than 10 consecutive hours that either is a child care service exempted
under another provision of this Act or the regulations or is provided by a
child care service provider exempted under another provision of this Act or the
regulations, and
(
v) those other activities or arrangements exempted
under this Act or the regulations;
(g) "child care service provider" means
a person who or an organization that operates a child care service and includes
an affiliated child care service provider but does not include
(
i) schools operating under the Schools Act, 1997 ,
(ii) hospitals where the child care service is provided
to in-patient children,
(iii) parents and relatives when providing care or
supervision to a child who is related to them,
(iv) a person who operates a child care service for
a child in the home of that child in exchange for compensation from one or more
of the child's parents or relatives, and
(
v) those other persons or organizations exempted
under this Act or the regulations;
(h) "employee" means a person who is employed
including a person whose services are under contract, an administrator and a
caregiver;
(i) "facility" means,
(
i) in relation to a child care service, a centre
or family home consisting of one or more buildings, houses and indoor or
outdoor areas where the child care service is operated but does not include a
location that is generally open to the public, and
(ii) in relation to an agency, one or more
buildings or houses where the agency is operated;
(j) "licensee" means a child care
service provider or agent who holds a licence under this Act;
(k) "manager" means a person appointed under
subsection 5(1);
(l) "minister" means the minister
appointed under the Executive Council Act
to administer this Act;
(m) "monitor" means a person appointed
by an agency under paragraph 9(2)(d);
(n) "parent" means the following persons
in relation to a child:
(
i) a mother and her spouse or cohabiting partner,
(ii) a father and his spouse or cohabiting partner,
(iii) a foster parent as defined in the Children and Youth Care and Protection Act ,
and
(iv) a guardian;
(o) "peace officer" means a member of
the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and includes
a person approved by the Attorney General to perform the duties of a peace
officer;
(
p) provincial director means the Provincial
Director of Child Care appointed under
section 4;
(q) "relative" means
(
i) a parent, sibling, niece or nephew
of a parent, and
(ii) a sibling, niece or nephew of a child;
(r) "student" means a person who assists
a child care service provider as a requirement of an early childhood education
program at a post-secondary institution; and
(s) "warrant" means a warrant issued
under
section 20 and a telewarrant issued under
section 21.
Labrador Inuit rights
(1) This
Act and regulations made under this Act shall be read and applied in conjunction
with the Labrador Inuit Land Claims
Agreement Act and, where a provision of this Act or regulations made under
this Act is inconsistent or conflicts with a provision, term or condition of
the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement
Act , the provision, term or condition of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act shall have precedence over
the provision of this Act or a regulation made under this Act.
(2) Where, under this Act or regulations made
under this Act, a manager issues a licence he or she may add to that licence terms
and conditions that the licensee shall comply with in order to ensure compliance
Inuit Land Claims Agreement Act .
PART I
ADMINISTRATION
Provincial
Director of Child Care
4. The
minister shall appoint a person to be the Provincial Director of Child Care who
shall be responsible for
(
a) establishing province-wide policies and
standards for child care services including licensing and facilities;
(
b) establishing province-wide policies and
standards for persons involved in operating a child care service;
(
c) reviewing, evaluating and monitoring adherence
to the established policies and standards; and
(
d) advising and reporting to the minister on
matters with respect to this Act and the regulations.
Managers
(1) The
minister shall appoint one or more managers who shall exercise the powers and
perform the duties and functions that are conferred or imposed upon them by
this Act and the regulations.
(2) An appointment under subsection (1) shall be
advisable.
Inspectors
(1) The
minister shall appoint one or more inspectors who shall exercise the powers and
perform the duties and functions that are conferred or imposed on them by this
Act and the regulations.
(2) Inspectors appointed under this Act shall have
the qualifications and experience set out in the regulations.
(3) A manager shall not be appointed as an
inspector under this Act.
(4) Inspectors appointed under this Act may be
accompanied by one or more persons when exercising the powers or performing the
duties or functions conferred or imposed on inspectors by this Act and the
regulations and those other persons shall have the rights and powers given to
an inspector under
section 19 while accompanying the inspector.
(5) Nothing in this Act or the regulations limits
inspectors appointed under other Acts and regulations from exercising powers or
carrying out duties or functions conferred or imposed on them by other Acts and
regulations.
Protection from
liability
7. A
manager, inspector, the provincial director or other person is not personally
liable for anything done or omitted in good faith in the exercise or performance,
or intended exercise or performance, of
(
a) a power, duty or function conferred or imposed
upon him or her by this Act or the regulations; or
(
b) a power, duty or function on behalf of or
under the direction of a person on whom the power, duty or function is conferred
or imposed by this Act or the regulations,
or for the costs in connection with an action
or proceeding.
PART II
Licences
Child care service
8. A
child care service provider shall not operate a child care service unless that child
care service provider
(
a) holds a valid child care service licence for
that child care service;
(
b) is exempt from the requirement to hold a child
care service licence to operate that child care service; or
(
c) is approved by an agency and the agent of that
agency holds a valid agency licence.
Agency
(1) An
agent shall not operate the business of an agency as set out in subsection (2) unless
that agent holds a valid agency licence.
(2) An agency shall
(
a) approve affiliated child care service
providers in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the regulations that
apply to applications for a child care service licence to operate a child care
service in a family home;
(
b) supervise affiliated child care service
providers it approves and the child care services operated by those affiliated
child care service providers to ensure compliance with the provisions of this
Act and the regulations that apply to affiliated child care service providers
and to licensees that hold a child care service licence to operate a child care
service in his or her home;
(
c) provide supports to affiliated child care
service providers it approves; and
(
d) appoint monitors to exercise the powers and
perform the duties and functions conferred or imposed upon them by this Act and
the regulations.
(3) Where an agency approves an affiliated child
care service provider, the agency shall issue an approval certificate to that
affiliated child care service provider.
(4) An agency shall ensure that a monitor visits
each affiliated child care service provider the agency approves and the facility
in which the child care service of that affiliated child care service provider is
operated at least once a month.
Application for
licence
10. An
applicant shall apply in writing to a manager for a licence under this Act in
the form prescribed by the minister.
Renewal and variation
(1) A
licensee shall apply in writing to a manager to renew or vary a licence under
this Act in the form prescribed by the minister before the licence expires.
(2) Where an application to renew a licence is
made at least 60 days before the day the licence expires, the existing licence
is considered to be valid until the licensee receives the decision of a manager
on the licensee's application for renewal.
Issuance
(1) Where
a manager is satisfied upon the inquiry and investigation that he or she
considers necessary that all requirements prescribed in this Act and the regulations
are met, the manager may
(
a) issue a child care service licence to a child
care service provider;
(
b) issue an agency licence to an agent;
(
c) renew a licence; or
(
d) vary a licence.
(2) A manager may issue, renew or vary a licence with
Refusal to issue,
renew or vary
(1) A
manager may refuse to issue, renew or vary a licence where
(
a) the applicant is a person who is younger than
19 years old;
(
b) the applicant is applying for an agency
licence and the applicant is not a not-for-profit corporation or a corporation
without share capital;
(
c) the applicant fails to provide the documentation
required by this Act and the regulations;
(
d) one or more of the applicant, child care
service, agency or facility do not meet the requirements set out in this Act
and the regulations;
(
e) the applicant was previously issued a licence
that was later revoked;
(
f) the manager is satisfied that the applicant
made one or more false or misleading statements in the application or in the information
provided in support of the application; or
(
g) the manager is satisfied that it would not be
appropriate to issue, renew or vary a licence.
(2) Where an application is refused, the manager shall
provide written reasons to the applicant by regular mail.
(3) An applicant whose application has been
refused may request a review of the application.
(4) A request for review under subsection (3) shall
be in writing and made to the minister within 30 days after the applicant
receives the written reasons for refusal.
(5) A review shall be performed within 60 days of
the receipt of the written request and a written decision including reasons shall
be sent by regular mail to the person who requested the review within 5
business days of being decided.
(6) An appeal lies from the decision of the minister
to a judge of the Trial Division.
Licences generally
(1) Licensees
are entitled to operate only the child care service or agency specified in the
licence in the facility specified in the licence in accordance with the terms and
conditions attached to it.
(2) Licences issued by a manager shall set out
(
a) the name of the licensee;
(
b) the name of the child care service or agency that
is permitted to operate under the licence;
(
c) the type of licence;
(
d) the commencement and expiration dates of the licence;
(
e) where the licence is a child care service
licence,
(
i) the street address of the facility where the
child care service is operated,
(ii) the maximum number of children and the ages of
the children who may participate in the child care service at any one time, and
(iii) where applicable, the number of homerooms
permitted under the licence and the maximum number of children and the age
range of children that may be assigned to those homerooms; and
(
f) where the licence is an agency licence, the street
address of the agency.
(3) Licences are valid for a maximum of 3 years.
(4) Licences are not transferrable or assignable.
Terms
15. Licensees
holding a valid licence shall
(
a) maintain insurance coverage in accordance with
the regulations;
(
b) prepare, maintain and keep books and records in
accordance with this Act and the regulations;
(
c) operate the child care service or agency in accordance
(
d) where the licensee is a child care service
provider, obtain written approval from a manager before doing one or both of
the following:
(
i) renovating a facility in a way that modifies
the configuration of the space, or
(ii) making a material change to its program; and
(
e) comply with this Act, the regulations and any terms,
conditions and requirements that may be prescribed by the minister.
Suspension and
revocation
(1) A
manager may suspend or revoke a licence where the manager is satisfied that
(
a) one or more of the following have violated
this Act, the regulations or a term or condition of the licence:
(
i) the licensee,
(ii) a child care service or agency the licensee operates,
(iii) a child care service provider operating a
child care service under the licence or under an approval certificate issued by
the licensee, or
(iv) an employee, student or volunteer who assists
or provides services in the operation of the child care service or agency; or
(
b) the applicant made one or more false or
misleading statements in the application or to an inspector.
(2) A manager shall not suspend a licence for more
than 30 days.
(3) Where a licence is suspended and the terms and
conditions necessary to lift the suspension are met in the time set by the manager
and to the satisfaction of the manager, the manager shall reinstate the licence
with or without terms or conditions.
(4) Where a licence is suspended and the terms and
conditions necessary to lift the suspension are not met in the time set by the manager
and to the satisfaction of the manager, the manager shall revoke the licence.
(5) Where a licence is suspended or revoked, the manager
shall serve a notice of suspension or revocation and written reasons for the
decision on the licensee, the child care service provider or an employee of the
licensee or the child care service provider.
Review of suspension
or revocation
(1) A
licensee whose licence has been suspended or revoked may request a review of
the suspension or revocation.
(2) A request for review under subsection
(1) shall be in writing and made to the minister within 30 days from the date the
licensee receives the written reasons for suspension or revocation.
(3) A review shall be performed within 60 days of
the receipt of the written request and a written decision including reasons
shall be sent by regular mail to the person who requested the review within 5
business days of being decided.
(4) An appeal lies from the decision of the minister
to a judge of the Trial Division.
Consequences of
suspension or revocation
(1) Where
a licence is suspended or revoked the child care service or agency specified in
that licence shall not be operated.
(2) Where a licence is revoked, the licensee shall
immediately return the licence to a manager.
(3) Where an agency licence is revoked, a manager may
issue a temporary child care service licence to one or more affiliated child
care service providers of that agency for a maximum of 6 months where the manager
is satisfied that the affiliated child care service provider is in compliance
with this Act and the regulations.
(4) Where a temporary child care service licence
expires, an affiliated child care service provider shall not operate a child
care service unless that affiliated child care service provider
(
a) holds his or her own valid child care service licence;
(
b) is under the supervision of, and holds an
approval certificate from, an agency whose agent holds a valid agency licence;
(
c) is exempt from the requirement to hold a
licence.
PART III
INSPECTIONS AND VIOLATION ORDERS
Inspections
(1) An
inspector appointed under this Act may, at all reasonable times and without a
warrant, for a purpose related to the administration or enforcement of this Act
or the regulations, inspect or examine the facilities, premises, processes,
books and records of a child care service provider, child care service, agency,
agent or a person the inspector may consider relevant for the purpose of determining
compliance with this Act or the regulations and the inspector may do one or
more of the following:
(
a) enter
(
i) a facility,
(ii) premises where property, books or records
relating to a child care service or agency are or may be kept, or
(iii) premises where anything is done or is
suspected of being done in connection with a requirement of this Act or the
regulations;
(
b) conduct tests and make copies, extracts,
photographs or videos the inspector considers necessary; or
(
c) require a child care service provider, agent,
owner of a facility or premises or their employees, students and volunteers to
(
i) give the inspector all reasonable assistance,
including the production of books and records as requested by the inspector and
to answer all questions relating to the administration or enforcement of this
Act or the regulations and, for that purpose, require a person to attend at a facility
or premises with the inspector, and
(ii) make available the means to generate and
manipulate books and records that are in machine readable or electronic form
and any other means or information necessary for the inspector to assess the
books and records.
(2) Nothwithstanding subsection (1), an inspector appointed
under this Act shall not enter a dwelling-house without the consent of the
occupant except under the authority of a warrant.
(3) A person shall not knowingly make a false or
misleading statement, either orally or in writing, to the inspector while he or
she is exercising powers or carrying out duties or functions under this Act or
the regulations.
(4) An inspector appointed under this Act shall
inspect the following at least once a year to determine whether they are in
compliance with this Act and the regulations:
(
a) each child care service that is operated under
a licence and the facility in which it is operated; and
(
b) each agency and the facility in which it is
operated.
(5) An inspector appointed under this Act shall
inspect the greater of 10% or 5 of the affiliated child care service providers approved
by each agency and the facilities in which the child care services of those
affiliated child care service providers are operated each year.
Warrants
(1) Where
an inspector appointed under this Act
(
a) is denied entry to a facility or premises to
carry out an inspection; or
(
b) believes on reasonable and probable grounds
that there has been a contravention of this Act or the regulations,
the inspector may file an application with
the Provincial
Court for a warrant.
(2) Where a Provincial Court judge is satisfied on
the basis of an inspector's sworn information that there are reasonable grounds
to believe that the inspector has been denied entry to a facility or premises
to carry out an inspection or there has been a contravention of this Act or the
regulations, the judge may issue a warrant authorizing the inspector to do one
or both of the following:
(
a) enter the facility or premises and carry out
an inspection under this Act; or
(
b) seize or remove any of the books or records
that may be required as evidence of contravention and may retain those
documents until the time they are required in a court proceeding.
(3) A Provincial Court judge
may receive and consider an application for a warrant or extension of warrant
without notice to the child care service provider, agent or the owner of the facility
or premises.
(4) Child care service providers, agents, owners
of a facility or premises and their employees, students and volunteers shall
not obstruct an inspector while the inspector is exercising the powers and
performing the duties and functions as authorized by the warrant.
(5) At the request of an inspector, a peace
officer shall assist in enforcing a warrant.
Telewarrants
(1) Where,
in the opinion of an inspector, it would not be practical to appear in person
before a Provincial
Court judge to apply for a warrant,
the inspector may make the application by telephone or other means of
telecommunication.
(2) Where an inspector acts under the authority of
a warrant obtained under this section, the inspector shall provide a facsimile
of the warrant to an employee of the child care service provider or agency or
to the owner or an employee of the facility or premises present at the time the
warrant is carried out.
(3) In subsection (2), "facsimile"
includes a record produced by electronic means or a written record of a
telephone conversation made by both parties to the conversation while it is in
progress and which the parties have confirmed as to its accuracy by reading
their record of the conversation to one another at the end of the conversation.
Inspection report
22. An
inspector appointed under this Act shall prepare a written report of each
inspection within 30 days of the inspection and provide it to
(
a) a manager;
(
b) the child care service provider of a child
care service where that child care service or the facility in which it is
operated was the subject of the inspection;
(
c) the agent of an agency where that agency or the
facility in which it is operated was the subject of the inspection; and
(
d) the affiliated child care service provider and
the agent of his or her supervising agency where that affiliated child care
service provider or the facility in which his or her child care service is
operated was the subject of the inspection.
Consequences of non-compliance
(1) Where
an inspection report details evidence of non-compliance with this Act or the
regulations, a manager may
(
a) issue a written violation order against the licensee
requiring the licensee to bring one or more of the child care service, agency
or facility into compliance; or
(
b) suspend or revoke a licence.
(2) A violation order issued by a manager shall be
posted in accordance with
section 30 for either 30 consecutive days or until a manager
is satisfied that the child care service, agency and facility are in compliance
with this Act and the regulations, whichever is longer.
Requirements of
violation orders
24. A
violation order shall
(
a) be issued against a licensee with respect to a
specific child care service or agency;
(
b) set out the name of the child care service or
agency that is the subject of the violation order and the street address where the
child care service or agency is operated;
(
c) describe the violation of this Act or the
regulations;
(
d) where applicable, set out the time by which
the licensee shall bring the child care service, agency or facility into compliance;
(
e) set out the date it was issued;
(
f) be signed by the manager who issued it; and
(
g) be served on the licensee.
Review of
violation orders
(1) A
licensee who receives a violation order may request a review of the violation
order.
(2) A request for review under subsection
(1) shall be in writing and made to the minister within 30 days from the date the licensee
receives the violation order.
(3) A review shall be performed within 60 days of
the receipt of the written request and a written decision including reasons
shall be sent by regular mail to the person who requested the review within 5
business days of being decided.
(4) An appeal lies from the decision of the minister
to a judge of the Trial Division.
PART IV
INFORMATION and ACCESS
Application of
this
Part
26. Unless
otherwise provided for in this Part, this Part applies only to the following:
(
a) child care service providers that operate a child
care service under a child care service licence;
(
b) affiliated child care service providers;
(
c) agents; and
(
d) agencies.
Information is
confidential
(1) Child
care service providers, agents and agencies shall keep confidential all information
with respect to
(
a) children who are currently or have been
previously registered in their or their affiliated child care service provider's
child care service;
(
b) children who apply to become registered in their
or their affiliated child care service provider's child care service; and
(
c) the parents and relatives of children referred
to in paragraphs (
a) and (b).
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), information with
respect to children and their parents and relatives may be disclosed without consent
(
a) by an affiliated child care service provider
to a monitor or an employee of the agency that issued that affiliated child
care service providers current approval certificate while the monitor or
employee is exercising powers or carrying out duties or functions under this
Act or the regulations;
(
b) to an inspector while he or she is exercising
powers or carrying out duties or functions under this Act or the regulations;
(
c) for the purpose of complying with a subpoena,
warrant or court order;
(
d) where required by this Act or the regulations
or by another Act or regulations; and
(
e) where required to ensure the health or safety of
a child registered in a child care service.
Access to information
28. Parents
of a child registered in a child care service, and persons authorized in
advance in writing by one or more of those parents, are entitled to a copy of
the following upon request:
(
a) the documents and records of the child care
service provider and child care service with respect to that child;
(
b) the violation orders made against the child
care service provider with respect to that child care service;
(
c) where applicable, the child care service licence
or the agency licence of the supervising agency;
(
d) where the child care service provider is an affiliated
child care service provider, the approval certificate issued by his or her
supervising agency; and
(
e) other documents and records with respect to
that child set out in the regulations.
Entry to facility
29. Parents
of a child registered in a child care service, and persons authorized in
advance in writing by one or more of those parents, may enter the facility in
which that child care service is operated at any time during its operating hours.
Posting of
violation orders and other documents
(1) All
documents required to be posted in accordance with this Act or the regulations shall
be posted together in a place that is prominent, visible and near the main
entrance of the facility in which the child care service that is the subject of
the documents is operated.
(2) A licensee holding a child care service licence
shall post the current licence issued by a manager for that child care service and
a copy of outstanding violation orders with respect to that child care service.
(3) A licensee holding an agency licence shall
post the current licence issued by a manager for that agency and a copy of outstanding
violation orders with respect to that agency.
(4) An affiliated child care service provider shall
post the current approval certificate issued by the supervising agency for that
child care service and a copy of outstanding violation orders with respect to
that child care service.
PART V
GENERAL
Offence
(1) A
person who contravenes this Act or the regulations or makes a false statement
in an application, return, form or record required under this Act or the
regulations is guilty of an offence and liable on
summary conviction
(
a) for a first offence, to a fine of not less
than $500 and not more than $2,000 or to imprisonment for not more than 60 days
or to both a fine and imprisonment; or
(
b) for a subsequent offence, to a fine of not
less than $2,000 and not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for not more than
90 days or to both a fine and imprisonment.
(2) Each contravention of this Act or the
regulations constitutes a new and separate offence.
(3) Where an offence under this Act or the
regulations is committed or continued on more than one day, the person who
committed the offence is liable to be convicted for a separate offence for each
day on which the offence is committed or continued.
(4) Where a person is convicted of an offence
under this Act or the regulations, in addition to another punishment that may
be imposed under this Act, the court may, having regard to the nature of the
offence and the circumstances surrounding its commission, make an order requiring
the offender to comply with those conditions that the court considers
appropriate in the circumstances for securing the offenders good conduct and
for preventing the offender from repeating the same offence or committing other
offences.
Service
(1) Where,
under this Act or the regulations, service upon a person is required, service
shall be made in person or by registered mail at the last known address of the
person and where that person is a corporation, service shall be made in the same
manner upon a director or chief executive officer of the corporation.
(2) Personal service referred to in subsection
(1) may be proved by a statement under oath either orally or in writing by the person
who served the document.
(3) A document sent by registered mail in
accordance with subsection (1) shall be considered to be served on the fifth
day after the day of mailing, unless the person to whom it is sent establishes
that, acting in good faith, the person did not receive the document, or did not
receive it until a later date.
Statutory review
(1) The
minister shall, every 5 years, conduct a review of this Act and the regulations
and consider the areas which may be improved.
(2) A review conducted under subsection (1) shall
include public consultations.
Regulations
34. The
minister may make regulations
(
a) prescribing child care service providers or
child care services that are included in, or exempted from, the application of
this Act or the regulations or a part of them and prescribing the terms or
conditions of inclusion or exemption;
(
b) prescribing the design and construction of facilities
and the furnishings, materials and equipment to be provided at facilities;
(
c) respecting applications for licences;
(
d) respecting licences including types of licences,
when a licence is required, the requirements that shall be met before a licence
(
e) respecting the suspension and revocation of licences;
(
f) respecting certification including levels of
certification, applications for certification or for renewal of certification, and
the requirements that shall be met before it is granted;
(
g) prescribing the qualifications, experience and
other requirements of licensees, child care service providers and agents as
well as employees, students and volunteers of licensees, child care service
providers, agents and agencies;
(
h) prescribing requirements for the supervision, health,
safety, nutrition and behaviour guidance of children registered in a child care
service;
(
i) prescribing requirements for the program to be
followed in a child care service;
(
j) prescribing when parents and managers shall be
notified of information with respect to children registered in a child care
service;
(
k) respecting the insurance coverage that shall
be carried with respect to a child care service provider, child care service,
agent or agency;
(
l) prescribing hours of operation of a child care
service;
(
m) respecting requirements for registration of a
child in a child care service including the information and documentation that
must be submitted;
(
n) prescribing the child to caregiver ratio and
the maximum number of children that may be registered in a child care service;
(
o) prescribing the documentation, books and records
that shall be kept by child care service providers, agents and agencies, the
manner in which they shall be kept and whether parents or persons authorized by
parents are entitled to a copy of them;
(
p) respecting the provincial director, managers
and inspectors appointed under this Act including the qualifications, experience
and other requirements of those persons;
(
q) prescribing the powers, duties and functions of
the provincial director, managers and inspectors appointed under this Act;
(
r) respecting monitors including the
qualifications, experience and other requirements of monitors;
(
s) prescribing the powers, duties and functions of
monitors;
(
t) respecting violation orders including when
what information shall be included in a violation order;
(
u) respecting the documents that shall be posted
at a facility and the manner in which they shall be posted;
(
v) prescribing restrictions on advertising and
promotional materials with respect to child care service providers, child care
services, agents and agencies;
(
w) defining a word or phrase used but not defined
in this Act; and
(
x) generally, to give effect to this Act.
Fees and forms
35. The
minister may set fees and establish forms for the purpose and administration of
this Act and the regulations.
PART VI
TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS, CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS AND COMMENCEMENT
Transitional
(1) Where
an applicant submitted an application under the Child Care Services Act or the Child
Care Services Regulations, 2005 and that application has not been issued,
granted or refused on the coming into force of this Act, it shall be considered
to be an application under this Act or the regulations.
(2) On the coming into force of this Act, a valid licence
issued under the Child Care Services Act
shall continue to be valid as though it were a licence issued under this Act
until whichever of the following occurs first:
(
a) the licence expires; or
(
b) one year after the coming into force of this
Act.
(3) On the coming into force of this Act, a
licence suspended under the Child Care
Services Act shall continue to be suspended as though it were suspended
under this Act.
(4) An outstanding violation order issued under the
Child Care Services Act before the coming
into force of this Act shall be considered to be an outstanding violation order
under this Act.
SNL2010 cC-12.2
Amdt.
37. Paragraph 11(5)(
b) of the Children and Youth Care and Protection Act is repealed and the following
substituted:
(
b) a teacher, educational psychologist, guidance
counsellor, school principal, social worker, family counsellor, member of the
clergy or religious leader, persons involved in operating or providing a child
care service or agency, a youth worker and a recreation worker;
SNL2001 cC-14.1
Amdt.
38. The
Schedule to the Citizens' Representative Act is amended by deleting the words
" Day Care and
Homemaking Services Licensing Board".
SNL2005 cS-16.2
Amdt.
39. Paragraph 4(1)(
e) of the Smoke-free Environment Act, 2005 is repealed and the following
substituted:
(
e) a facility as defined in the Child Care Act that is a family home
while a child care service is being operated or a facility as defined in the Child Care Act that is not a family home;
SNL1993 cT-4.1
Amdt.
40. Paragraph 4.1(1)(
h) of the Tobacco Control Act is repealed and the following substituted:
(
h) a facility as defined in the Child Care Act that is a family home
while a child care service is being operated or a facility as defined in the Child Care Act that is not a family home;
SNL1998 cC-11.1 Rep.
41. The Child
Care Services Act is repealed.
Commencement
42. This Act
comes into force on a day to be proclaimed by the Lieutenant-Governor in
Council.
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