The future is looking bright! In April 2021, the Government of Canada announced a historic $30 billion investment over five years to build a high-quality, affordable and accessible early learning and child care (ELCC) system across Canada. With the Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-30) now passed, the federal government has turned its attention to negotiating bilateral agreements that will support the unique needs of each province and territory.
At this time, the government has reached five-year agreements with British Columbia, Manitoba, the Yukon, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. While there are unique elements to each of the agreements, each expands early childhood education opportunities for young children in their respective regions. Specifically, the agreements reduce the costs of child care fees by 50 per cent by 2022 and ensure that nationwide fees are an average of $10 per day for each child by 2026. They also provide at least 59{f4dab0c5032d4eb8d4f7ec2b6ecedf5f16cf8076f5e4fcfc5a07df85a146a352} coverage for kids 0-5 years, include additional workforce supports, and call for the creation of an implementation oversight body.
Negotiations with Ontario are still ongoing. In the meantime, we have provided a round-up of key facts and interesting news updates from Central Canada below.
Provincial Updates
Quebec
On August 5, Premier François Legault joined Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to announce an asymmetrical agreement that will see the federal government transfer nearly $6 billion to Quebec over the next five years.
Quebec already meets the federal government’s conditions for affordability and access having long been a pioneer in early learning and child care through the establishment of its centres de la petite enfance (CPEs) system in 1997. CPEs have provided higher quality early learning opportunities than for-profit providers but the system has also faced its share of challenges with supply and lengthy waitlists. Regardless of these challenges, parents have benefited greatly from Quebec’s long-term investment in ELCC and now pay a single fee of only $8.50 per day per child.
Though few details of the new agreement have been made available, it is understood that Quebec will set its own priorities and a significant portion of the funding will go toward strengthening the province’s existing ELCC system.
To learn more about Quebec’s new agreement, click here.