Friday, March 29, 2024

A better start in life

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The agreement also includes a clear commitment to continue to work collaboratively with Indigenous organizations in Alberta to develop an approach that will support Indigenous children in the province in having access to culturally appropriate quality and affordable child care

Every child deserves the best possible start in life, and all parents should have the ability to build both a family and career. Yet, too many families across Canada lack access to affordable, inclusive, and high-quality child care. The COVID-19 pandemic has also made it clear that without access to child care, too many parents – especially women – cannot fully participate in the workforce.

That is why the Government of Canada has laid out a plan to provide Canadian parents with, on average, $10‑a‑day child care spaces for children under six years old. This plan to build a Canada‑wide, community‑based early learning and child care system will make life more affordable for families, create new jobs, get parents – especially women – back into the workforce, and grow the middle class, while giving every child a real and fair chance at success.

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The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney, announced that both governments have reached an agreement that will support an average of $10‑a‑day care in the province, significantly reducing the price of child care for families. The agreement includes creating 42,500 new regulated early learning and child care spaces by the end of March 2026. With federal funding of almost $3.8 billion over the next five years, Alberta will also see a 50 per cent reduction in average parent fees for children under the age of six in regulated child care by the end of 2022.

This agreement will fund critical services, and grow a strong and skilled workforce of early childhood educators, including through greater opportunities for professional development. The agreement will also support a child care system that is fully inclusive of children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports, and ensures all families have equitable access to high-quality, affordable child care.

The agreement also includes a clear commitment to continue to work collaboratively with Indigenous organizations in Alberta to develop an approach that will support Indigenous children in the province in having access to culturally-appropriate, quality, and affordable child care.

This agreement will fund critical services and grow a strong and skilled workforce of early childhood educators including through greater opportunities for professional development

Since 2015, the government has been helping make life more affordable for families. This includes programs like the Canada Child Benefit, which puts more money into the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families and has helped lift more than 400,000 children out of poverty. The Government of Canada continues to work with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners across the country to make life easier and more affordable for families, grow the middle class, create jobs, help parents return to the workforce, and give children across the country a better start in life.

The Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney announced that both governments have reached an agreement that will support an average of $10aday care in the province
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