OTTAWA, ON , May 12, 2024
/CNW/ - Today we celebrate and honour all mothers—and those who
take on mothering roles—for all that they do. Mothers work hard to
give their children the best possible start in life. They are often
at the heart of our families and our communities, providing
unconditional love, often while juggling careers and other
caretaking responsibilities.
But for many mothers, including Millennial and Gen Z mothers,
the costs of child care can add up to a second rent or mortgage
payment. This makes it harder to start and support a family, and as
a result, parents—especially moms—often face impossible choices
between their careers and child care fees.
Fairness for every generation means ensuring parents, especially
moms, don't have to make the difficult choice between a career and
starting a family. That's why the government is taking action to
make life cost less, and build a Canada where every generation can get
ahead.
Already, all provinces and territories are offering, or on track
to offer, $10-a-day regulated child
care. This progress, made possible by nearly $40 billion in federal support since 2016,
including the transformative investment of nearly $30 billion in Budget 2021, is making life more
affordable for young families. Women's labour force participation
is at a record high of 85.7 per cent, and more families are
bringing home more income and contributing to Canada's economic growth, while saving
thousands of dollars on child care every year.
As we work to create 250,000 new affordable child care spaces by
March 2026 through the Canada-wide early learning and child care
system, we know we need to have a focus on ensuring every family
can save thousands of dollars per child, per year, on child care
costs. But more families need access to affordable child care
spaces.
That's why, today, Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children
and Social Development announced that the Government of
Canada has signed amendments to
the Canada-wide Early Learning and
Child Care Agreements with all provinces and territories, enabling
an additional $625 million in federal
funding for provinces and territories to help public and
not-for-profit child care providers build more child care spaces
and deliver affordable child care for families in underserved
communities. Provincial and territorial funding allocation details
will be announced soon. In addition, the new $1 billion Child Care Expansion Loan Program,
announced in Budget 2024, will provide even more funding to help
not-for-profit and public child care providers build more
spaces.
Minster Sudds also highlighted Budget 2024 investments that will
strengthen Canada's care economy,
to help those doing essential caregiving roles—whether for young
children, persons with disabilities, or elderly parents and
grandparents—to save more every year and pursue their own career
aspirations.
Measures in Budget 2024 to give every child the best start in
life include:
- Launching a National School Food Program to help up to
400,000 more kids get the food they need at school. Children
need healthy food to grow, play, learn, and reach their full
potential. Yet one in four children in Canada live in households experiencing food
insecurity, many of whom go to school hungry. That's why Budget
2024 announces a $1 billion National
School Food Program.
- Supporting after-school learning to help all
Canadian students, including students in low-income communities and
Indigenous youth, reach their full potential, with an investment of
$67.5 million in Budget 2024.
After-school learning and supports, such as mentorship and academic
assistance, play an important role in helping students succeed in
their academic pursuits, especially for at-risk students.
- Launching a new $1
billion Child Care Expansion Loan Program to
help public and not-for-profit child care providers to build more
new spaces and renovate their existing child care centres. This
means more affordable child care options to save families money and
ensure parents don't have to choose between a career and starting a
family.
- Offering student loan forgiveness for rural and remote early
childhood educators to encourage early childhood educators to
work in remote and rural communities and help families get the
child care they need. With a $48
million investment over four years and $15.8 million ongoing, Canada Student Loan
forgiveness amounts will increase with the amount of time an
educator works in a rural or remote community, improving access to
high-quality child care services, similar to the benefits offered
to rural family doctors and nurses.
- Increasing training for early childhood educators by
investing $10 million over two years
to train more early childhood educators will help build up the
talent needed for affordable, high-quality child care.
- Improved access to child care for Canadian Armed Forces
personnel: $100 million over five
years, starting in 2024-25, aims to help improve child care
services for Canadian Armed Forces personnel and their
families.
- Creating a Sectoral Table on the Care Economy:
These experts will consult and provide recommendations to the
federal government on concrete actions to better support the care
economy, including early learning and child care.
- Helping families save for their child's education with
automatic enrolment in the Canada Learning Bond: Starting
in 2028-29, all eligible children born in 2024 or later would have
a Registered Education Savings Plan automatically opened for them
if they don't have an account when they turn four, and the eligible
Canada Learning Bond payments of up to $2,000 would be auto-deposited in these
accounts—without any family contribution necessary.
These are just some of the things that Budget 2024 is doing to
support families, especially mothers, and build an economy that is
fair for every generation. Budget 2024 is a plan to build a
Canada where everyone has a fair
chance at a good middle class life. Alongside these investments,
the Government of Canada is
investing in good health care, dental care, protecting pensions,
and increasing access to medications, to make sure every generation
can be safe and healthy to get ahead.
Quotes
"Wishing all mothers and mother figures everywhere a very happy
Mother's Day. Our government will continue to make important
investments to support families, and children across the country.
Affordable child care is unlocking new opportunities for
parents—particularly mothers—to fully participate in the workforce
and build a fulfilling and profitable career all while giving
children the best possible start in life."
– Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Jenna
Sudds
Related products
Backgrounder: A Stronger Social Safety Net
Delivering on our promise of high-quality, inclusive, and
affordable child care for families
Early Learning and Child Care Agreements
Supporting Early Learning and Child Care
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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada