Over 2,000 More Regulated Child Care Spaces to Open in Saskatchewan
The Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada are investing $28.9 million to develop up to 2,197 new child care spaces in regulated child care centres across the province.
“Today our government is pleased to announce a significant expansion in regulated child care, which is so important to Saskatchewan families,” Minister of Education Dustin Duncan said. “In our growing province, we are providing funding for nearly 2,200 more children to attend regulated child care, which provides high quality early learning, play and exploration environments for our youngest learners.”
Of the 2,197 newly funded spaces, 1,599 spaces have been allocated to specific organizations who will either build new facilities or add new spaces within their existing facilities.
The remaining 598 funded spaces will be allocated to organizations later this year through an application process.
Funding for these spaces is provided through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement 2021-26, signed in August 2021, which provides a federal investment of nearly $1.1 billion over five years for child care in Saskatchewan.
“We know that a strong early learning and child care system will drive economic growth, increase women’s participation in the workforce and offer each child in Canada the best start in life,” Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould said. “These additional licensed child care spaces will allow more children and families across the province to access high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care.”
The additional spaces are a part of the shared goal of the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada to create 28,000 new child care spaces in the province by the end of March 2026. Currently Saskatchewan funds 22,884 child care spaces, including today’s newly announced 2,197 spaces.
Regarding the application process, new centres looking to open are eligible to receive $10,000 per child care space for the capital development of their centres. The Ministry of Education encourages all interested communities and organizations to reach out to learning.inquiry@gov.sk.ca and apply for funding.
The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to increasing access to quality early learning and child care opportunities that support positive child development. Providing grant funds for additional child care spaces is one of the initiatives taken through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to implement a Canada wide Early Learning and Child Care System.
With on average 70 per cent child care fee reductions already announced in the province, the goal is to bring down average fees for regulated child care to $10-a-day by the end of March 2026.
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