The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today highlighted that Budget 2021 sets a goal of on average $10 a day child care within the next five years. “By building an early learning and child care system, we will make life more affordable for Canadian families, create new jobs, grow the middle class, increase women’s participation in the work force, and drive strong economic growth across the country”, said Trudeau.
The federal government will work with provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners to build this Canada-wide, community-based early learning and child care system. The government will invest $30 billion over the next five years, with a minimum of $9.2 billion per year ongoing. By the end of 2022, this new system would reduce fees for parents with children in regulated child care by 50 per cent on average, everywhere outside of Quebec. The Government of Canada will also work with provinces and territories to help ensure that early childhood educators are provided with the training and development opportunities needed to support their growth and the growth of a child care system that works for all Canadians.
This investment builds on the work the government has been doing to make life more affordable for families and give children the best start in life. Programs like the Canada Child Benefit, which puts money directly in the pockets of parents to help with the added expenses of raising a family, have already been supporting those who need it the most. However, with child care expenses running nearly as high as rent or mortgage payments in some cities across the country, we know that more needs to be done. This investment will create new opportunities for Canadian families and allow parents, particularly mothers, to get back into the workforce.
Establishing a Canada-wide early learning and child care system will create jobs and economic growth, increase women’s participation in the workforce, and offer each child in Canada a better start in life. This is part of our plan to grow the middle class and help people working hard to join it.