Nova Scotia Signs Child Care Deal with Ottawa
The federal and Nova Scotia governments inked a historic pact today which promises long-term relief and security for child care.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Iain Rankin announced an agreement that aims to significantly improve early learning and child care for children across the province. The Government of Canada will invest $605 million over the next five years to help improve regulated early learning and child care for children under six years of age.
By the end of 2022, Nova Scotians may see a 50 percent reduction in child care fees. The parties hope that fees will average $10 per day five years from now—two elections out.
Believing that many families across Canada lack access to affordable, inclusive, and high-quality child care, the federal government hopes to roll out the plan for a Canada-wide, community-based system.
This agreement will lead to the creation of 4,000 new regulated early learning and child care spaces within two years, and a total of 9,500 spaces by fiscal year 2025-26.
It will expand not-for-profit and public delivery of early learning and child care with the goal of moving to a fully not-for-profit and publicly managed system.
The system will be supported by a new provincial organization that will manage all regulated child care in the province. The agreement will also support a child care system that is fully inclusive of children with disabilities and those needing enhanced or individual supports, and ensures all families have equitable access to high quality, affordable child care.
The Prime Minister said, “All families should have access to quality, affordable child care. That is why, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, we are laying the foundation for Canada’s first-ever Canada-wide early learning and child care system.”
Premier Rankin says, “This is a game changer for Nova Scotia families — better care that is more affordable and accessible.” Rankin added, “A Canada-wide early learning and child care system has been talked about for decades, and I’m proud that our province is at the forefront of making this a reality for Nova Scotian families.”
The two levels of government will create an Implementation Committee that will monitor progress on child care commitments in consultation with stakeholders. The Government of Canada will be represented on this committee by the Federal Secretariat on Early Learning and Child Care.
The Government of Canada also announced funding of $58 million over the next four years for the 2021-25 Canada-Nova Scotia Early Learning and Child Care Extension Agreement, and $10.9 million in 2021-22 for Nova Scotia to support the recruitment and retention of an early childhood workforce.
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