On January 29, Ministers responsible for early learning and child care met in Ottawa to discuss the future of the $10-a-day Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program.
Ahead of the meetings, more than 100 organizations signed a joint letter urging Ministers to strengthen the principles and goals of the program.
At the conclusion of the meetings, Ministers released a statement committing to work together to make the program “sustainable.” While collaboration is welcome, there is concern about what “sustainable” could mean. In 2021, the federal government committed to transforming child care delivery and funding, describing it as a nation-building project comparable to the creation of Canada’s public education system.
Advocates recognize that building a universal, publicly funded early learning and child care system will take time. However, achieving that goal over the next 10, 15, or 20 years requires governments to stay grounded in key principles:
- Low fees for all families, with even lower fees for those with the lowest incomes.
- Better compensation and support for the early childhood education workforce.
- Public investment (capital grants and loan program) in expanding and strengthening non-profit delivery.
- Full implementation of Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Frameworks.
- A system that is inclusive of all children.
As governments move forward, it will be essential to ensure that sustainability strengthens the vision for universal child care in Canada.
