Toronto councillor Giorgio Mammoliti says he wants the province to take over city run day care facilities to save costs.

The recommendation is part of a task force report on the future of the facilities headed up by the east-end councillor.

The task force is calling on the province to boost funding to help the city cope with the $123-million cost of implementing full day kindergarten and expanding day care spaces.

Mammoliti said if the province will not do it, then it should take over the city’s 53 day care centres.

“I have a job to do as the chair of this advisory committee. I’m reporting out on what I think is fare and what I think should happen,” said Mammoliti. “I know it’s controversial and I know there will be some people that may not like it.”

He said day care should be taken over by school boards which would make it easier for parents.

“I ask every single parent to ask themselves this question – would it be easier for me to drop off my two or three children in a school as opposed to running around in the morning for an hour and dropping them off at day cares?” said Mammoliti.

He said child care in Toronto is struggling.

“We cannot meet the growing needs of Torontonians around child care as a city on our own without the funding. That has become a reality,” Mammoliti said.

He said the task force has considered other ways to raise funds, including one interesting ideas.

“It was blown out of the water as soon as it became light and, believe it or not, some were actually thinking about taxing children on candy.”

Councillor Janet Davis called Mammoliti’s recommendation ill-conceived.

Mammoliti is suggesting that the province take over Toronto day cares by 2018.