News release
August 6, 2024 Brampton, Ontario
Raising kids is expensive. This makes it harder to start, grow and support a family. Parents—especially moms—often face difficult choices between pursuing studies or a career and covering early learning and child care fees. But it should not be this way.
That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action to reduce costs for families and to build a Canada where every generation can get ahead and every child gets the best possible start in life.
Today, on behalf of the Minister for Families, Children, and Social Development, the Honourable Jenna Sudds, the Member of Parliament for Brampton South Sonia Sidhu highlighted that all provinces and territories are offering or are on track to offer $10-a-day regulated child care.
Across the country, over 750,000 kids are already benefiting from affordable, high-quality child care, with some families saving up to $14,300 per child per year. Over 100,000 new affordable spaces have been announced across the country as part of the Canada-wide system, and the goal of creating 250,000 new spaces by March 2026 is well within reach.
This progress, made possible by the transformative investment of more than $27 billion in Budget 2021, is making life more affordable for families with young children. The labour force participation rate for core-aged (25-54) mothers with young children (0-5) is now at a record high of 79.7%, meaning more families are bringing home more income and contributing to Canada’s economic growth, while saving thousands of dollars on child care every year.
The goal for the Canada-wide early learning and child care system is for all families to have access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care, no matter where they live, but there is still work left to do. The initiatives outlined in Budget 2024 reinforce the Government’s commitment to building a fairer Canada for every generation, all while complementing measures already taken. The Government is building more homes, strengthening public health care, making life cost less, and growing a strong economy for all—because fairness means making sure every generation has a fair chance at building a good middle-class life.
Quotes
“Every family should have access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive child care, no matter where they live. That is why we’re making $10-a-day child care a reality across the country, saving more families thousands of dollars and helping more parents return to or start their careers.”
– Member of Parliament for Brampton South, Sonia Sidhu
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