Governments of Canada and Manitoba Announce $180 Million in Funding for Child Care Spaces in Public Schools and Post-Secondary Institutions

WINNIPEG, MB, July 20, 2023 /CNW/ - Families across Canada are striving every day to give their children the best possible start in life. That is why the Government of Canada is working with our provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners on building a Canada-wide early learning and child care system that offers families better access to high-quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive child care and early learning opportunities, no matter where they live.

Today in Winnipeg, the federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, along with Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko, and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, Terry Duguid, announced investments of more than $180 million over the next three years to expand child care spaces in public schools and post-secondary institutions around Manitoba.

Through the Canada-Manitoba Canada-Wide wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, $132 million will be invested across 36 public schools to create more than 2,400 spaces for children under seven. Another $45 million will be provided to support more than 680 new child-care space expansion projects for children under age seven across eight post-secondary institutions. Manitoba is also investing an additional $3.4 million to create 615 spaces for children ages seven to 12.

Building a Canada-wide early learning and child care system that works for families in every region of the country is a key part of the Government of Canada's plan to make life more affordable for families, while also creating good jobs and growing the economy.

Quote

"We know that child care is a necessity for Canadian families. That is why Canada and Manitoba are making sure that families in Manitoba have better access to early learning and child care, no matter where they live. Together with our provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners, Canada is committed to achieving our shared goal of creating 250,000 new child care spaces across the country by March 2026."
– Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould

"Manitoba continues to make access to, affordable, high-quality child care for families a priority. With these additional spaces, families who have older children attending a local school, or who are currently enrolled in training to enter the workforce at one of our post-secondary institutions, will have more options to support their child-care needs."
- Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister, Wayne Ewasko

"This important partnership between the Government of Canada and Manitoba is helping to build brighter future for families and children in Manitoba and across Canada. The Canada-wide system helps give our children the best possible start in life, while making life more affordable for families."
- Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, Terry Duguid

Quick Facts

• As part of Budget 2021, 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 with provinces and territories. 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.
• As part of the Canada–Manitoba Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, the Government of Canada is investing approximately $1.2 billion over five years to help improve early learning and child care for children in Manitoba.

Associated Links

Toward $10-a-Day: Early Learning and Child Care 
Canada ‒ Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement - 2021 to 2026 - Canada.ca

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For media enquiries, please contact: Philippe-Alexandre Langlois, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]