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After a seemingly procrastinated process, the provincial government is signing the extension of the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. This multi-year federal investment of $1.6 billion will include $10-per day childcare for another five years, starting in 2026-2027.

Although it was originally the third province to reduce child care fees to $10 a day, Saskatchewan was the second last province to sign onto the national extension, a decision which worried the Opposition NDP, as well as many parents and early learning and child care professionals across the province for several months.

Also, as part of this agreement, children in childcare who turn six while attending Kindergarten can continue to receive $10 a day care until they complete the school year. On top of that, the Infrastructure Fund has been extended for an additional year, until 2026-2027.

The signing ceremony is taking place in Regina on Friday.

President of Saskatchewan’s Childcare union, CUPE, Kent Peterson says the extension is welcome, but there is more to be done. In a written release, he says, “This deal didn’t happen by accident. We fought hard to make sure the government signed on. Now, the real work begins. Signing the agreement is only step one. This government needs a serious plan to create
more child care spaces, especially in rural communities. Affordable child care means nothing if families can’t access it.”

The Province says it has created more than 91 per cent of the 28,000 additional child care spaces targeted in the initial agreement with the federal government in 2021.