MCCA is delighted that the Province of Manitoba has signed its Early Learning & Child Care Agreement with the Government of Canada on August 9, 2021. This agreement commits to federal funding of more than $1.2 billion over the next five years towards building a Manitoba-made child care system.
There are three key fundamental elements that must be considered in building an early learning and child care system in our province. This includes:
AFFORDABILITY – average of $10/day for regulated child care spaces by 2023; by the end of 2022, Manitoba families will see a 50% reduction in average fees for children up to 6 years of age in a licensed child care facility
ACCESSBILITY – creation of 23,000 new full-time regulated spaces by the end of 2025-2026; new spaces in not-for-profit, public child care operations as well as licensed home-based child care
QUALITY – high-quality child care is synonymous with a workforce that is supported, educated and equitably remunerated
At present, there is a substantial ECE shortage in Manitoba. The goal of expanding child care spaces by 40% (23,000 spaces) must be intentional and take into consideration a solid recruitment and retention plan for the workforce. Any meaningful growth will be unachievable without a qualified workforce.
MCCA is recommending that a significant and direct investment into the workforce is prioritized over all other investments (under the Canada-MB ELCC Agreement) to address the immediate challenges of attraction and retention. #ECEsAreEssential #childcarethetimeisNOW
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 9:47 am
