The province is facing an almost $2 billion shortfall in funding for the national child-care program next year and needs to come to an agreement with the federal government soon so families can plan ahead, says the auditor general.

At the same time, the provincial government must address both staffing and space shortages in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care agreement that is set to expire next spring, the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario also says in a special report released Tuesday.

The child-care plan aims to provide child care at an average of $10 a day, and Ontario has already seen a 50 per cent decrease in costs.

“Parents and guardians of children enrolled with child-care licensees participating in the (child-care) program have received the benefit of reduced

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