City’s Red Hill Family Centre committed to high-quality care for Hamilton families

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton is encouraged by findings presented by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) that there is no recommendation the Red Hill Family Centre should be outsourced, based on the Red Hill Family Centre’s overall performance and quality of care. 

At today’s Audit, Finance and Administration Committee Meeting, the OAG presented findings and recommendations from its Value for Money Audit of the City’s Red Hill Family Centre. The review was completed as a result of an Ontario Ministry of Education directive requesting municipalities to audit their directly-operated child care centres.

The City of Hamilton has already begun implementing the OAG’s 14 recommendations outlined in the Value for Money Audit of Red Hill Family Centre by early 2026. The recommendations focus on enhancing the Centre’s performance measurements and continuous improvement practices.

“Providing high-quality child care delivers value for taxpayer dollars and ensures the Red Hill Family Centre continues to give our youngest residents the best possible start,” said City Manager Marnie Cluckie. “This value for money audit reinforces the Centre’s commitment to continuous improvement and highlights the dedication and accountability of our staff, who are already working diligently to address all of the Auditor’s recommendations.”

Progress underway

As part of the work to complete the OAG recommendations, City staff will be using benchmarks set by the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to better analyze the Centre’s potential for increasing capacity to serve more children. 

To increase accountability and cost effectiveness, the Centre will also develop a performance dashboard to track key indicators such as capacity and vacancy rates, helping ensure that as many children as possible are receiving care and programming. Overall, City staff take pride in the Centre’s family-first approach, wrap around process and high-quality services, which were recognized in the audit. 

“I want to thank the Office of the Auditor General for its comprehensive recommendations,” said Jessica Chase, Director, Children’s and Community Services, City of Hamilton. “The Red Hill Family Centre plays a vital role in supporting local children and their families. Completing the 14 recommendations will strengthen the Centre’s impact and ensure even greater accountability for our community’s investments.” 

Quick Facts

• The Red Hill Family Centre has been in operation since 1976 and will be celebrating 50 years next year.
• The Centre is licensed under the Province’s Child Care and Early Years Act for 97 children aged 18 months to 5 years of age. It is currently fully enrolled.
• Annual family surveys have consistently returned a 93 per cent satisfaction rating over the past several years, which speaks to the Centre’s strong commitment to providing high-quality care to children and their families.