By Tom Mark

Federal-Provincial Child Care Agreement

Feb 23, 2018 | 10:51 AM

Picture: Minister of State for Child Care Katrina Chen

The federal and provincial governments have announced a bilateral agreement on early learning and child care.

North Vancouver MP Jonathan Wilkinson delivered the news in Vancouver on behalf of Ottawa of a three year commitment of 153 million dollars.

“This money will help to increase accessibility of child care options by increasing the number of licensed infant and toddler childcare spaces that aims to address the most critical shortages for infant and toddler spaces.”

Wilkinson says the most financially vulnerable families will be helped by reducing fees.

BC Minister of State for Child Care Katrina Chen says the money will target high needs families.

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” To create around 1400 spaces, new licensed child care spaces where the needs are the highest and we will also launch test infant and toddler spaces for almost 1800 children over the next two years.”

Chen says that will be used to see how a universal child care centre would look like.

It’s expected the funding will help cut wait lists for families with children for special needs.

Chen says there will also be a focus on indigenous programs.

” We will expand culturally-based indigenous early learning both on and off reserves through aboriginal head start programs which will help to improve accessibility, quality and flexibility for indigenous families and communities.”

Chen added there will be a training fund for early childhood educators to upgrade their skills and attract more people to the field

The agreement is part of the federal government’s plan to invest seven and a half billion dollar in child care over 11 years.

by Tom Mark