Government of Canada invests in accessible and disability inclusive early learning and child care system across Canada

OTTAWA, ON , June 22, 2022 /CNW/ - Building a barrier-free country is a key priority for the Government of Canada. That is why it is working closely with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners to create an early learning and child care system that is high quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive. These efforts will help ensure that all families in Canada – including those with children with disabilities – have access to child care that is adapted to their needs, and inclusive from the start.

Today, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, joined with Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, to announce $12.5 million in funding  support for 225 regulated and/or licensed early learning and child care centres across Canada through the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) small projects component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF).

Minister Qualtrough and Minister Gould made the announcement at the Centre d'appui et de prevention in Ottawa, Ontario. The centre is receiving $37,009 under the ELCC-EAF to provide its educational centre with specialized equipment for children with special needs including the creation of a sensory room, which will enable children with disabilities to thrive in a stimulating environment that is safe and respects their needs.

The Government of Canada made a transformative investment of more than $27 billion over five years to build a Canada-wide early learning and child care system in partnership with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners. Combined with other investments, including in Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care, up to $30 billion over five years will be provided in support of early learning and child care.

Agreements reached with every province and territory to create a Canada-wide $10-a-day Early Learning and Child Care system will ensure every child, including children with disabilities, Indigenous children, and official language minorities, have access to affordable, high quality child care.

Building an affordable child care system that is accessible and inclusive to all Canadians in every region of the country is key to the Government's efforts to support families while also creating good jobs and growing the economy.

Quotes

"We're proud to invest in organizations that understand the importance and value of disability inclusion. This is about creating community spaces where every child and family is welcome. It's about doing better for persons with disabilities."
– Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough

 "Families with children with disabilities continue to face unique challenges to find accessible child care spaces that meet their needs. These projects in child care centres across the country will support our work to build a child care system that is designed from the start as inclusive, giving every Canadian child the best possible start in life."
– Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould

"When families and caregivers of children with disabilities can access meaningful resources and services like accessible childcare options, it means our Government is committed to support families from coast to coast to coast, where children and parents have an equal chance to be included in all aspects of Canadian society."
– President of the Treasury Board, minister Mona Fortier

Quick Facts

• The 2017 Canada Survey on Disability found that one in five Canadians aged 15 and over—or about 6.2 million persons—report as having a disability.
• The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) is a federal grants and contributions program that supports infrastructure projects across Canada that improve the accessibility, safety and inclusion of persons with disabilities in communities and the labour market. Over 6,000 projects have been funded under the EAF since its launch in 2007, helping thousands of Canadians gain access to programs, services and employment opportunities in their communities.
• Budget 2021 provided new investments totalling up to $30 billion over five years to build a high-quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive early learning and child care system across Canada. As part of that investment, Budget 2021 included $25 million under the EAF over two years, to make immediate progress for children with disabilities by helping child care centres to install the infrastructure and information and communication technology upgrades needed to improve the accessibility of their facilities.The funding announced today under the ELCC-EAF small projects component, was provided under Budget 2021 and distributed to projects through a call for proposals process that ran from December 3, 2021 to February 14, 2022.
• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $625 million over four years, beginning in 2023-24, for an Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This funding will enable provinces and territories to make additional child care investments, including the building of new facilities.

Associated Links

Enabling Accessibility Fund  
Government of Canada funds improved access for inclusive early learning and child care centres across the country 
Making an accessible Canada for persons with disabilities 
Toward $10-a-Day: Early Learning and Child Care 

Backgrounder

The Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Small Project Component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF)

The Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) small projects component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) aims to improve accessibility and safety in regulated and/or licensed ELCC centres. This will help support children with disabilities, parents/guardians with disabilities and/or employees with disabilities. The goal is to ensure that all Canadian families have access to high-quality, affordable and inclusive early learning and child care.

Through a call for proposals process, which was open from December 3, 2021 until February 14, 2022, 225 ELCC centres across Canada will receive a total of $12.5 million in funding to support a barrier-free start for children with disabilities, their parents and guardians, and child care facilitators.

Canadian organizations that received funding through the 2021-2022 ELCC small projects component of the EAF call for proposals process:

AMAZING GRACE DAYCARE, ALBERTA
ARTS IN MOTION, ALBERTA
ASPEN HILL MONTESSORI CASA, ALBERTA
ATLAS LEARNING PRESCHOOL INCORPORATED, ALBERTA
BLUEBIRD ACADEMY DAYCARE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE, ALBERTA
BRAINEER ACADEMY LTD., ALBERTA
CALGARY IMMIGRANT EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY, ALBERTA
COOKIE JAR PRESCHOOL, ALBERTA
CUPS, ALBERTA
DAYDREAMS ELCC LTD, ALBERTA
EARLY START LEARNING CENTRE, ALBERTA
EXPANDING IMAGINATIONS CHILD CARE, ALBERTA
FCSS- TOWN OF HINTON, ALBERTA
FIRST CHRISTIAN REFORM CHURCH, ALBERTA
FISHING LAKE METIS SETTLEMENT, ALBERTA
FRASER RIVER CEC- CENTRE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT & FAMILY SERVICES INC., ALBERTA
GLENGARRY CHILD CARE SOCIETY, ALBERTA
JOLLY SMART KIDS CHILDCARE CENTER INC., ALBERTA
LAC LA BICHE ABORIGINAL HEAD START, ALBERTA
LITTLE HANDS MONTESSORI ACADEMY LTD., ALBERTA
LITTLE HEARTPRINTS ACADEMY INC., ALBERTA
LITTLE STEPS DEVELOPMENT, ALBERTA
LYCEE LOUIS PASTEUR SOCIETY, ALBERTA
MAMA ROZA GARDEN CHILDCARE LTD, ALBERTA
MANNING REGIONAL CHILD CARE ASSOCIATION, ALBERTA
MCLEOD DAY CARE, ALBERTA
MUNICIPALITY OF JASPER, ALBERTA
NARNIA LEARNING CENTRE, ALBERTA
NORMANDEAU CHILD CARE, ALBERTA
NURTURE BY NATURE EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY, ALBERTA
RENFREW EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, ALBERTA
RHYME & REASON EARLY LEARNING, ALBERTA
RIVER VALLEY SCHOOL, ALBERTA
STEPPING STONES DAY CARE SOCIETY, ALBERTA
SUNRISE WETASKIWIN DAYCARE & OUT OF SCHOOL CARE, ALBERTA
THREE HILLS EARLY CHILDHOOD SOCIETY, ALBERTA
THRIVEOLOGY CLINICAL SERVICES, ALBERTA
TREEHOUSE PRESCHOOL, ALBERTA
VEGREVILLE PRESCHOOL ASSOCIATION, ALBERTA
VIVO FOR HEALTHIER GENERATIONS, ALBERTA
VOYAGE CHILDCARE CENTER INC, ALBERTA
WAINWRIGHT CHILDREN'S CENTRE, ALBERTA
WORLD OF WONDERS DAYCARE, ALBERTA
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF CALGARY, ALBERTA
ACADEMICS PREKINDERGARTEN, BRITISH COLUMBIA
ALBERNI VALLEY CHILDCARE SOCIETY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
BLPA, BRITISH COLUMBIA
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF CENTRAL VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA
BURNSIDE GORGE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, BRITISH COLUMBIA
DISCOVERY KIDS CHILDCARE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
EARLY YEARS CENTRE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
FÉDÉRATION DES PARENTS FRANCOPHONES DE COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
FORT ST. JOHN FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
GRANDVIEW TERRACE CHILDCARE CENTRE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
INCLUSION LANGLEY SOCIETY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
KAMLOOPS UNITED CHURCH PRE-SCHOOL & OUT OF SCHOOL CARE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
LIGHTHOUSE EARLY LEARNING CENTRE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
LOWER FRASER VALLEY ABORIGINAL SOCIETY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
MAVEN LANE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
NANAIMO INNOVATION ACADEMY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
OSOYOOS CHILD CARE CENTRE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
PEMBERTON CHILDREN'S CENTRE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
PERIWINKLE CHILDREN'S CENTRE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
PRÉ-MATERNELLE POMME D'API, BRITISH COLUMBIA
RICHMOND SOCIETY FOR COMMUNITY LIVING, BRITISH COLUMBIA
ROBSON VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES, BRITISH COLUMBIA
ROYAL CITY ACADEMICS, BRITISH COLUMBIA
SHALOM DAYCARE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF COURTENAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
THE NEST EARLY LEARNING CENTRE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
TILICUM LELUM ABORIGINAL FRIENDSHIP CENTRE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
WIGGLES AND GIGGLES GROUP DAYCARE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
ASHERN DAY CARE CO-OP INC., MANITOBA
CAHRD, MANITOBA
CENTRE D'APPRENTISSAGE LES CHEMINOTS, MANITOBA
FISHER BRANCH CARE-A-LOT FOR TOTS INC., MANITOBA
GARDERIE LES PETITS AMIS DAY CARE INC., MANITOBA
KINGS PARK CHILD CARE CENTRE, MANITOBA
LE P'TIT BONHEUR INC., MANITOBA
MORNING STAR DAYCARE INC., MANITOBA
MUNROE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTRE INC. SCHOOL AGE, MANITOBA
NORTHWEST METIS COUNCIL INC., MANITOBA
PORTAGE UKRAINIAN NURSERY SCHOOL INC, MANITOBA
PURCELL INTERNATIONAL PRESCHOOL, MANITOBA
REGIONAL CONNECTIONS INC., MANITOBA
RIVERDALE EARLY LEARNING CENTRE INC., MANITOBA
ST. AMANT FOUNDATION, MANITOBA
ST.VITAL CHILD CARE, MANITOBA
STARTING BLOCKS INC., MANITOBA
SUNFLOWER EARLY LEARNING CENTRE INC., MANITOBA
TACHE COMMUNITY DAYCARE, MANITOBA
WOMAN HEALING FOR CHANGE, MANITOBA INC, MANITOBA
YMCA OF BRANDON, MANITOBA
ACADEMIE POWER PLAY ACADEMY, NEW BRUNSWICK
AU P'TIT MONDE DE FRANCO INC., NEW BRUNSWICK
BROTHER BEAR'S DAYCARE INC., NEW BRUNSWICK
CEDAR BROOK E.L.C, NEW BRUNSWICK
ENRICHKIDS, NEW BRUNSWICK
GARDERIE LA FORÊT DES DÉCOUVERTES INC., NEW BRUNSWICK
GARDERIE LA MARELLE DAYCARE INC., NEW BRUNSWICK
GEOCAMP 22 INC., NEW BRUNSWICK
MON ÉCOLE / MY SCHOOL CHILD CARE, NEW BRUNSWICK
REACHING FOR RAINBOWS CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, NEW BRUNSWICK
ROCHE PAPIER STUDIO INC, NEW BRUNSWICK
SUTHERLAND CHILDCARE CENTER INC., NEW BRUNSWICK
THE VILLE CO-OPERATIVE, NEW BRUNSWICK
YMCA OF GREATER MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK
CAMPUS CHILDCARE INC., NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
CPEF LES "P'TITS CERFS-VOLANTS", NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
KIDKARE CHILDREN'S CENTRE, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
NEW FUN LAND LIMITED, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
RAINBOW RAILWAY CHILD CARE CENTRE, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
WONDER YEARS PRESCHOOL AND DAYCARE INC., NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
YMCA OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR
SETSI'E FREDERICK DAYCARE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
ANNAPOLIS VALLEY FIRST NATION, NOVA SCOTIA
BUILDING BLOCKS PRESCHOOL, NOVA SCOTIA
CREATIVE KIDS EDUCATION CENTRE, NOVA SCOTIA
EAST PRESTON DAY CARE CENTRE, NOVA SCOTIA
LITTLE EAGLES DAYCARE, NOVA SCOTIA
MILLBROOK EARLY EDUCATION CENTRE, NOVA SCOTIA
MOUNT SAINT VINCENT UNIVERSITY CHILD STUDY CENTRE, NOVA SCOTIA
PICTOU LANDING BAND COUNCIL, NOVA SCOTIA
RED APPLE CHILDREN'S CENTRE LTD., NOVA SCOTIA
SHERWOOD PARK PRESCHOOL, NOVA SCOTIA
WEE CARE DEVELOPMENTAL DAY CARE CENTRE, NOVA SCOTIA
2514308 ONTARIO INC, ONTARIO
ANGELIC TREASURES CHRISTIAN DAYCARE, NORTH YORK, ONTARIO
BGC SOUTH EAST, ONTARIO
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF EAST SCARBOROUGH, ONTARIO
CENTRE PSYCHOSOCIAL, ONTARIO
CHIPPEWAS OF RAMA FIRST NATION, ONTARIO
CLARKSON ANGELS CHILD CARE & EDUCATIONAL CENTRE, ONTARIO
DUNDAS VALLEY CO-OPERATIVE PRESCHOOL INC., ONTARIO
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTER, ONTARIO
ERINDALE EARLY EDUCATION ACADEMY, ONTARIO
FORT ERIE CO-OPERATIVE PRESCHOOL, ONTARIO
FRONTENAC CLUB DAY CARE INTEGRATION PROGRAMME, ONTARIO
GAN SHALOM PRESCHOOL, ONTARIO
HAPPY CLOWN DAYCARE LTD., ONTARIO
INSPIRE MONTESSORI SCHOOL CORP, ONTARIO
INSPIRING MINDS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE, ONTARIO
KAYLA'S CHILDREN CENTRE, ONTARIO
KIDTOPIA CHILD CARE CENTRE INC., ONTARIO
KINDERSCHOOL ADLERIAN NURSERY, ONTARIO
LEAPS & BOUNDS CHILDREN'S CENTRE (ARNPRIOR), ONTARIO
LINDA LOWE DAYCARE, ONTARIO
LITTLE EINSTEIN DAY CARE CENTRE, ONTARIO
LITTLE PEOPLES DAYCARE, ONTARIO
LITTLE TURTLES DAYCARE AND LEARNING CENTRE, ONTARIO
LONDON WALDORF SCHOOL, ONTARIO
LULLABOO (HEARTLAND) INC, ONTARIO
LULLABOO NURSERY AND CHILDCARE CENTER, ONTARIO
LULLABOO NURSERY AND CHILDCARE CENTER, ONTARIO
LULLABOO NURSERY AND CHILDCARE CENTER INC, ONTARIO
LULLABOO NURSERY AND CHILDCARE CENTER INC., ONTARIO
LULLABOO NURSERY AND CHILDCARE CENTER INC., ONTARIO
LULLABOO NURSERY AND CHILDCARE CENTER INC., ONTARIO
LULLABOO NURSERY AND CHILDCARE CENTER INC., ONTARIO
MILTON COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRE, ONTARIO
MONTESSORI ACADEMY OF LONDON, ONTARIO
MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH PERTH, ONTARIO
MUSKOKA FAMILY FOCUS AND CHILDREN'S PLACE, ONTARIO
MY FIRST MONTESSORI SCHOOL, ONTARIO
NELEPHANT MONTESSORI SCHOOL, ONTARIO
NSHWAASNANGONG CHILD CARE & FAMILY CENTRE, ONTARIO
OAK TREE CHILDCARE CENTRE, ONTARIO
OXFORD COMMUNITY CHILD CARE, INC., ONTARIO
PARENT RESOURCES EARLYON CHILD AND FAMILY CENTRE, ONTARIO
PARKVIEW CHILDREN'S CENTRE, ONTARIO
PATHWAYS HEALTH CENTRE FOR CHILDREN, ONTARIO
PLAYCARE EARLY LEARNING CENTRE INC., ONTARIO
PVNCCDSB, ONTARIO
REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF NIAGARA, ONTARIO
SCENICVIEW CHILDCARE, ONTARIO
SMART START LEARNING CENTRE, ONTARIO
SMART START LEARNING CENTRE, ONTARIO
ST PETER'S CHILD CARE CENTRE, ONTARIO
ST. MATTHEW'S HOUSE, ONTARIO
SUNSHINE HEIGHTS DAY CARE, ONTARIO
TENDER TREASURES MONTESSORI SCHOOL, ONTARIO
THE SCOTT MISSION, ONTARIO
THIRD ST. CHILD CARE CENTRE, ONTARIO
TIKI'S DAY CARE CENTRE INC., ONTARIO
TINY HOPPERS NEWMARKET SOUTH, ONTARIO
TODAY'S FAMILY, ONTARIO
TWO SHORT STOREYS ACADEMY, ONTARIO
TYKES OF COLUMBUS CHILD CARE, ONTARIO
UPPER CANADA CHILD CARE, ONTARIO
WILLOWBRAE ACADEMY CHILDCARE, ONTARIO
YMCA OF NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO, ONTARIO
YMCA OF THREE RIVERS CHILD CARE - SERC, ONTARIO
YMCA-YWCA OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION, ONTARIO
YORK UNIVERSITY CO-OPERATIVE DAYCARE CENTRE, ONTARIO
YWCA HAMILTON, ONTARIO
ZOE'S TENDER YEARS CHILD CARE INC., ONTARIO
ANGEL KEEPERS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE LTD, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
LITTLE WONDERS EARLY LEARNING CENTER, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
MI'KMAQ FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
THE MOUNT PLAYTIME DAYCARE CENTRE, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
WEST ROYALTY CHILD CARE CENTRE, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
CENTRE DE LA PETITE ENFANCE BOBINO INC., QUEBEC
CENTRE DE LA PETITE ENFANCE LES COLIBRIS, QUEBEC
CENTRE DE LA PETITE ENFANCE TOLDOS, QUEBEC
CPE AUETISSATSH, QUEBEC
CPE L'ATTRAIT MIGNON, QUEBEC
CPE SAKIHITOKIWAM, QUEBEC
CPE SIX SAISONS, QUEBEC
YALDEI TODDLERS GROUPS & DAYCARE, QUEBEC
AT RISK TOGETHER COMMUNITY SERVICE CO-OPERATIVE, SASKATCHEWAN
BUILDING BRAINS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE, SASKATCHEWAN
EAST CENTRAL FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION AUTHORITY (ECFNEA), SASKATCHEWAN
GRACE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, SASKATCHEWAN
HOPE'S HOME INCORPORATED, SASKATCHEWAN
LA RONGE CHILD CARE CO-OP, SASKATCHEWAN
MARTENSVILLE LUTHERAN EARLY LEARNING CENTER, SASKATCHEWAN
MUNCHKIN MANSION, SASKATCHEWAN
MUNCHKIN MANSION, SASKATCHEWAN
NEXT GENERATION EARLY LEARNING CENTRE CO-OPERATIVE, SASKATCHEWAN
NIPAWIN DAYCARE COOPERATIVE, SASKATCHEWAN
REGINA EASTVIEW DAYCARE INC., SASKATCHEWAN
THE VILLAGE GRENFELL CHILD CARE CENTRE, SASKATCHEWAN
TOWN OF CARNDUFF, SASKATCHEWAN
YELLOW QUILL DAY CARE, SASKATCHEWAN
YWCA REGINA INC., SASKATCHEWAN

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For media inquiries, please contact: Tara Beauport, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]