November 04, 2005

THE PAS—New, additional annual funding from the Manitoba government will support up to 68 licensed child-care spaces in northern Manitoba, Family Services and Housing Minister Christine Melnick announced today.

The details of this stage of Manitoba’s action plan for child care include annual operating grant support of $159,233 for licensed spaces at five sites:

• Gillam Preschool and Child Centre, $66,022 for 23 preschool spaces;

• Riverside Day Care Inc., Thompson, $38,735, for four preschool and 25 school-age spaces;

• Little Dreamers Day Care, The Pas, $34,944 for 12 preschool spaces;

• Churchill Children's Centre, $16,640 for two infant spaces; and

• T2: Thompson Toddlers, $2,912 for one preschool space.

"This marks the next major stage of our child-care action plan which, in Winnipeg, Brandon, rural Manitoba and the North, will see the investment of at least $5.75 million for up to 3,168 licensed spaces which will help further improve quality, affordability and accessibility of child care," said Melnick.

"Access to affordable, quality child care is vital to families in northern communities and these added spaces in Thompson, Gillam, The Pas and Churchill will go a long way in meeting a very important need," said Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Oscar Lathlin. "It is our intent to make child care accessible to as many northern families as possible."

Of the 3,168 spaces, 750 will designated for areas of the province in high need of more spaces, and will be funded next year. The exact location of these new spaces will be determined in 2006.

On April 29, 2005, Manitoba and Canada signed an agreement called Moving Forward on Early Learning and Child Care, the first of its kind in Canada. The total budget for Manitoba’s Child Care program, including the Children with Disabilities Program, is now $103 million.

In July, details of $14.4 million in support were announced of which $11.5 million will increase wages and benefits for early childhood educators including those who care for children with disabilities, providing for annual salaries of approximately $27,000 to $30,000. That announcement also noted that income levels for family child-care providers would be improved and funds for recruitment and training of more early childhood educators would be increased by $2.9 million.

During the next five years, Manitoba’s share of the federal government’s support is estimated to total $176 million.

In addition, support of $140,000 for up to 200 nursery school spaces will also be provided in 2006. This is part of Manitoba’s plan that calls for the existing nursery-school program for three and four year olds to be expanded and more closely linked to other early childhood development initiatives. The nursery schools identified for this expanded funding will be determined by next year.

This new approach will not only support 200 nursery school spaces, but will allow for parents’ fees to be reduced to no more than $5 per session. More Manitoba families will be able to access nursery school programs and more subsidies will be available for low- or middle-income families to help with the cost of nursery school programs.

Families, including those with a stay-at-home parent who wish to enrol their child in a part-time nursery school program, will no longer be required to demonstrate a need for a subsidy based on work or school. In addition to collaborating with the federal government, Manitoba will continue to work with the child-care community and parents and will consult with Manitobans in building a high-quality, early-learning and child-care system that is available to all families who need it.

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