Manitoba is going to receive just over $30 million over the next four years to expand child-care capacity in the province.
Around two-thirds, or just over $20 million, will come through 2025-26.
The goal of the investment is to help Manitoba reach a goal of creating 23,000 additional child-care spaces by 2026.
MPs Dan Vandal of St. Boniface – St. Vital and Ben Carr of Winnipeg South Centre said at the announcement that expanding and creating more affordable child-care options would benefit not only families but also the economy as a whole.
“Child care is not merely a service; it is a cornerstone of our society, laying the foundation for future generations. It is within these nurturing environments that our children learn, grow, and develop the skills necessary to thrive in an ever-changing world,” Vandal said.
“This expansion is not just about numbers; it’s about breaking down barriers and creating pathways to success for all. It’s about empowering parents to pursue their professional aspirations without sacrificing the well-being of their children. It’s about building a stronger, more resilient community where every voice is heard and every dream is within reach.”
The training, hiring and retention of child-care workers and support staff was not part of this investment. Vandal said that type of funding comes from other sources.
“We do know that wages and hiring more workers to work in child-care centres is very important and we’ve made some progress on that that we’re proud of,” Vandal said. “But I understand that comes from another pot of dollars. This is for creating new spaces, and that’s very important. I think we have a lot of $10-a-day spaces, but we need more spaces generally all over Manitoba.”
The funding for this announcement comes from the government of Canada’s $625-million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund, and hopes to help families save an estimated $14,300 on child care each year, per child.
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