Grits vow to extend national child-care program — if re-elected

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This article was published 28/11/2024 (371 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba child-care advocates have applauded the federal Liberals for planning to extend funding under a national agreement past its 2026 expiration date — assuming they remain in government.

Jenna Sudds, minister of families, children and social development, said the issue was one of the top concerns among attendees at an annual child-care forum, held in Prince Edward Island this week.

“These are investments that I believe are obviously good social policy, good economic policy, but they are so appreciated and needed by moms and dads across this country,” Sudds told reporters Thursday.

However, her party is slumping in the polls and an election must be held before October 2025.

Manitoba Child Care Association executive director Cathy Gardiner welcomed the news and said without the agreement the sector would continue to lag well behind its goals.

“It takes time to build a system, and as far as we still have to go, we have made some very big strides,” she said. “It would be a travesty to lose.”

In 2021, Manitoba signed on to the agreement which came with $1.2 billion in federal cash over five years to reduce child-care fees and increase the number of spaces throughout the province. The agreement is set to expire March 2026.

Gardiner said she’s well aware a change in government could mean the agreement gets scrapped.

“There’s a chance that all of this will be taken away,” Gardiner said.

In March Bill C-35, known as the “Canada Early Learning and Child Care Act,” received royal assent, cementing the Liberal government’s commitment to continuing support for the child-care sector through tax dollars.

A Tory government could amend or repeal the legislation, should the party win next year’s election. Official Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre has never made public his plans for the agreement should he be elected.

Sudds said the current government is committed to keeping the funding in place.

“What I’m encouraged by in the discussions today is the enthusiasm to ensure that we continue to make the necessary investments together to continue building this high quality, affordable system for Canadians,” Sudds said.

Last week, child care advocates in Manitoba called on the provincial government to move faster on its promise to create 23,000 new child-care spaces by 2026. At its current pace, it would take nearly 38 years to fulfil its commitment of 23,000 spaces, advocates said.

Since the province signed the federal agreement, the province has opened 1,654 new preschool spaces, according to Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning annual reports.

Acting Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt, who is attending this week’s conference in Charlottetown, said her priority is to see the funding extended ahead of next spring’s federal budget.

“There’s a chance that all of this will be taken away.”–Manitoba Child Care Association executive director Cathy Gardiner

“For us to be able to continue advancing those goals and making progress for Manitobans and that we don’t have to start sliding backwards, which is absolutely what would happen unless we’re able to continue on with this agreement,” she said.

Schmidt and her department were named the new co-chairs of the federal-provincial-territorial committee on early childhood education and learning, which means they will work with federal and provincial and territorial partners over the next two years to advance child care priories.

Manitoba is set to host the 2025 child-care conference.

Schmidt says the work on the committee begins immediately to discuss Canada’s priorities, including a federal child-care workforce strategy.

Gardiner said a federal strategy would help to continue the province’s momentum, despite its slow start.

“We certainly have made some progress but there’s still just a long ways to go,” she said. “I think it’s a wise choice to have Manitoba leading the charge if that means we’ll see more of a commitment on advancing some of these priorities.”

The federal draft strategy will aim to address recruitment, retention and recognition of early childhood educators.

In last week’s throne speech, the NDP government promised to author its own workforce recruitment and retention strategy.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca