FRANCAIS

November 17, 2005

As a part of Manitoba’s ongoing support, surplus school space would become a first-choice location for child-care centres under an Early Learning and Child Care in Schools Policy announced today by Family Services and Housing Minister Christine Melnick.

The announcement was made on behalf of the Healthy Child Committee of Cabinet at a two-day forum being held at the Fort Garry Hotel, an event that marks National Child Day. There are more than 300 participants at the forum entitled Kids and Communities: Celebrating Progress, Embracing Opportunity.

"Research by world-respected organizations, such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), has told governments that significant investments in school infrastructure to bring early-education, full-day and out-of-school care together in one location makes good sense," said Melnick. "Concentration of child-care services in schools helps to reduce costs considerably, improves quality and facilitates working parents."

Support for new child-care centres in schools being built or schools undergoing major renovations will continue to be funded through the Public Schools Finance Board as part of the existing Child Care in Schools Policy. Since 1986, 29 early-learning and child-care centres have been included in schools under this policy. Currently, more than 200 or
one-third of all Manitoba early-learning and child-care centres are located in schools.

The new policy also builds on Manitoba’s child-care action plan that provides for the first time ever a $2.7-million capital-fund program to help with renovating or expanding licensed child-care centres or to help build new facilities. This capital fund will provide support to help non-profit community groups with expansions or new projects.

"Our new policy builds on the existing Child Care in Schools Policy and places a new focus on public schools as the choice location for non-profit, early-learning and child-care centres," said Education, Citizenship and Youth Minister Peter Bjornson. "Locating early-learning and child-care centres in public schools strengthens links between child care and education, benefits children, parents, caregivers and teachers, and makes good use of unused school space."

In addition, as announced earlier this month, the new capital fund will support up to 750 child-care spaces to be funded next year in areas of greatest need.

On April 29, Manitoba and Canada signed an agreement called Moving Forward on Early Learning and Child Care, the first of its kind in Canada. In total, during the next
five years, Manitoba’s share of the federal government’s support is estimated to be
$176 million. Manitoba is committed to spending all new federal funds on child care.

To date, Manitoba has also committed to:

• $14.4 million for increased wages, education and training incentives for child-care workers;

• at least $5.75 million for up to 3,168 licensed spaces and support of $140,000 for up to 200 nursery-school spaces; and

• $2.7 million to support expansion or building of new child-care centres.

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