News & Stories: Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today highlighted the new National School Food Program. With an investment of $1 billion over five years, the Program, included in Budget 2024, will provide meals to 400,000 more kids every year, beyond those served by existing school food programs. This will mean peace of mind for parents and healthy meals for kids – helping them learn, grow, and get the best start to life. The Program will also be a safety net for the kids who need this support the most. We’re going to work with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners to get this program to schools across the country."

Excerpt: "Today, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Gary Anandasangaree, joined Chief Darcy Bear of the Whitecap Dakota Nation, to announce that the Government of Canada will invest an additional $35,000 in Whitecap Dakota Nation’s Early Learning Centre to develop and promote best practices and innovative models in Indigenous early learning and child care programs. This funding comes from the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Quality Improvement Projects. The Whitecap Early Learning Centre is a provincially licensed childcare facility that can support up to 56 children, aged 6 weeks to 12 years. The centre is managed by Whitecap Dakota Nation and is open to both Band members and non-member families. The centre believes in educating the whole child; intellectually, emotionally, physically and spiritually, with a strong emphasis on Dakota culture."

Excerpt: "That’s why, today in Kanata, the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, highlighted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent announcement of $201.87 million over four years, with $135 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across Ontario through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help Ontario reach the shared goal of building 86,000 new child care spaces by December 2026. The announcement was made at the grand opening of Andrew Fleck’s Forest Explorers Outdoor Learning Centre in Kanata, which will provide 73 new child care spaces (10 infant spaces, 15 toddler spaces and 48 preschool spaces)."

Excerpt: "New this year, school districts will use their existing Capital Asset Planning System to request funding for child care projects on school grounds, in addition to education capital funding. This makes it easier for school districts to plan for and create more child care on school grounds for families in their district. It will also help the ministry consider school district child care projects alongside education projects."

Excerpt: "That’s why, today in Victoria, the Honourable Terry Beech, Minister of Citizens’ Services, highlighted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement from March 28 of $69.9 million over four years, with $47.3 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across British Columbia through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help British Columbia reach the shared goal of building 30,000 new child care spaces by 2026."

Excerpt: "That’s why, today in Edmonton, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced $78.5 million over four years, with approximately 52.9 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across Alberta through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help Alberta reach the shared goal of building up to 68,700 new child care spaces by 2026."

Excerpt: "That’s why, today in Charlottetown, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, on behalf of the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, joined the Honourable Natalie Jameson, Prince Edward Island’s Minister of Education and Early Years, to announce $10.1 million over four years to help build more inclusive child care spaces across the province through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will further help Prince Edward Island, which has already exceeded the shared goal of building 452 new child care spaces by 2026."

Excerpt: "That’s why, today in Fredericton, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, joined the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth and the Honourable Bill Hogan, New Brunswick’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development to announce $17.6 million over four years, with approximately $12.4 million through 2025-2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across the province through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help New Brunswick reach the shared goal of building 3,400 new child care spaces by 2026."

Excerpt: "That’s why, today, the Governments of Canada and Nunavut announced $10.9 million over four years, with $7.9 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across Nunavut through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help Nunavut reach the shared goal of building 238 new child care spaces by 2026."

Excerpt: "That’s why, today in St. John’s, the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Labour and Seniors, and the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, joined the Honourable Krista Lynn Howell, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Education, to announce $13.7 million over four years, including approximately $9.8 million through 2025-2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across the province through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help Newfoundland and Labrador reach the shared goal of building 5,895 new child care spaces by 2026."

Excerpt: "That’s why, today in Winnipeg, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, on behalf of the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced $30.39 million over four years, with approximately $20.9 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across Manitoba through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help Manitoba reach the shared goal of building 23,000 new child care spaces by 2026."

Excerpt: "But more families need access to affordable child care. That’s why, today in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, joined the Honourable Becky Druhan, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, to announce a federal investment of an additional $19.8 million over four years to help reach our goal of building 9,500 $10-a-day child care spaces in Nova Scotia by March 2026. Today’s investment to build more spaces in Nova Scotia through the new $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund will help more families save up to $6,000 per year, per child. This includes creating more spaces for underserved communities, including Indigenous, rural, and remote communities, as well as for children with disabilities and French language minority communities."