Manitoba will take another step forward in expanding high-quality, affordable child care with new funding to child-care centres for 900 spaces, new capital and operational funding for child-care centres and homes, and improved subsidies for those most in need. This announcement was made by Family Services and Labour Minister Jennifer Howard.
“Our government knows how important high-quality, reliable child care is to parents,” said Howard. “It means parents are able to work and our kids are getting the care they need to get them the best start possible. Our plan today brings parents, child-care professionals and the province together to improve and grow one of the best early learning and child-care programs in Canada.”
Now in its fourth year, Family Choices, Manitoba’s five-year early learning and child-care initiative, is providing new funding for 6,500 quality child-care spaces by the end of 2013.
For the next two years, early learning and child-care fees now paid by parents will be allowed to increase annually by no more than 35 cents a day for school-age children and no more than one dollar a day for younger children, Howard said. She added these modest increases, combined with major new funding from the province, will provide a two percent increase, or $17 million, in new funding for child-care centres and homes over two years and the province is also investing $9.1 million to open 900 spaces this year.
“We’re committed to protecting and improving the things that matter most to families,” said Howard. “That’s why over the last 12 years we’ve more than doubled the province’s commitment to improving child care while keeping daily parent fees flat and the second most affordable in the country.”
The minister noted the provincial government will also build on its commitment to increase wages and introduce a provincewide pension plan for child-care workers by beginning consultations on standardized wages. For parents, this means child-care centres can hire and retain the very best care professionals.
“These changes are very good news for early learning and child-care service providers,” said Pat Wege, executive director of the Manitoba Child Care Association. “Increased funding will help recruit and retain educators, improve program quality and support new spaces for children.”
The new fees will take effect on July 1. Fees will increase by the same amount on July 1, 2013.
More information about Family Choices is available at www.gov.mb.ca/fs/childcare.
