WINNIPEG, Man.-Starting April 2, Manitoba families will pay a maximum of $10 per day in fees at regulated non-profit childcare centres, Premier Heather Stefanson recently announced. That's three years ahead of the 2026 target and applies to all children age 12 and under.
"Access to affordable and high-quality child care is essential for Manitobans to be able to participate in the workforce, support their family and play an active role in the growth of our communities and our economy," Stefanson said, adding that the reduced cost will save families thousands of dollars per year. "That is money that can go directly towards groceries, paying the bills or saving for our children's future."
However, currently, spaces may not be available for all the children the mandate is projected to help. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that he will encourage Manitoba to create those, especially including spaces in rural and Indigenous communities. And Stefanson said the province will add 23,000 more spaces by 2026.
Provincial Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko emphasized that professionals need to staff those spaces. So the province has also announced a plan to expand post-secondary training options for early learning and child care professionals.
Questions are being raised about the current problem of keeping staff in childcare positions in a field that has high turnover and often, low pay. Those who are skeptical of the plan point out that because childcare workers are viewed as underpaid, they do not flock to the field by attending post-secondary programs.
Starting in April, parents in Manitoba will only have to pay $10 a day for childcare.
