The Sask NDP is accusing the provincial government of backtracking the expansion of $10 a day childcare to include children age six after it was revealed that the deal will not come into effect until April 1st, meaning that children born before that date will not receive the reduced child care rate.

Opposition Leader Carla Beck says that families with six-year-olds born before April 1st will pay significantly more for childcare than those with children born after that date.

“For those families who would have budgeted, it’s not a little increase. This is up to eight times what the $10 a day guarantee would cost them for childcare.”

She adds that childcare workers will likely be the ones facing harsh calls from people under the impression that care was $10 a day.

“When the government makes these mistakes, it’s not them often that take the angry calls from parents who were told one thing and are getting a bill for up to eight times the amount, it’s going to be those front line early childhood educators, those operators who are taking those calls.”

Joan Pratchler, NDP Shadow Minister for Childcare and Early Learning, called on Education Minister Everett Hindley to fix the discrepancy.

“The minister promised parents that this new childcare deal would include all children turning six, and he’s breaking his word. He’s the Minister of Education and he’s the minister responsible. He has the power to make it right for this group of children and their families now.”

The NDP has called on the province to amend the agreement for children who turned six between January and April 1st.