Improved child care coming for P.E.I. under new agreement, says minister

Ottawa and almost all of the provinces signed a deal in Ottawa Monday aimed at making child care more accessible — a plan that promises $7.5 billion in funding over the next decade.

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Under it, the federal government will require provinces and territories to focus on regulated child-care operations serving children under the age of six and families with greater needs, including include families that are low-income, Indigenous, single-parent, living in underserved communities or with children with disabilities. 

"What we're going to see is a focus on improved access — more spaces," said Doug Currie, P.E.I.'s Minister of Education, Early Learning and Culture from Ottawa Monday. "Another one would be around affordability — affordable child care for Island families."

And, P.E.I. will be able to be more flexible in the way it implements child care supports, especially when it comes to the Island's seasonal workforce, Currie said. 

Only 40 per cent of P.E.I.'s population aged 0 to 4 have access to affordable child care, Currie noted, and the province would like to improve that number.  

'Support vulnerable, low-income population'

"Infant spaces is a key pillar of our agreement that we will be signing in the next few weeks with the federal government," Currie said.

The three-year agreement the provinces and Ottawa are about to sign will allow the province to launch the second phase of the P.E.I. preschool excellence initiative, Currie said — the last major investment was in 2010. 

"It's a significant day," he said. 

"Our priority will be to support vulnerable, low-income population," said Currie. However, he noted, some of the details of the plan are still being ironed out — he plans to have more information by the beginning of July. 

The framework encourages accountability by requiring provinces and territories to set targets, identify indicators, collect data and report annually on their progress, the province noted in a written release, adding that provinces and territories will also participate in a separate framework that Ottawa will develop with Indigenous partners based on unique cultural needs.

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