December 16, 2022 Montague, Prince Edward Island Employment and Social Development Canada
For too long, families have faced high monthly child care fees, long wait lists and too few high-quality child care options. That is why the Government of Canada is supporting the implementation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system, giving children the best possible start and making life more affordable for families across Canada.
Today, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, joined Prince Edward Island's Minister of Education and Lifelong Learning, Natalie Jameson, to announce that fees for licensed child care in Prince Edward Island designated Early Years Centres have been reduced to $20-a-day. The $20-a-day parent fees, combined with provincial subsidies to eligible families and the expansion of the publicly-funded pre-kindergarten program, mean that Prince Edward Island has achieved an average 50% reduction in licensed child care fees, compared to 2019 fees. With this reduction in fees, parents or guardians will see savings of about $170 a month or $2,000 a year. Additional savings will be seen for families eligible for subsidies and/or the expansion of publicly-funded pre-kindergarten.
Prince Edward Island also announced that federal funding would be used to support wage increases for early childhood educators: this will support educators in designated child care centres. Wage increases are key to the recruitment and retention of early childhood educators, who are at the heart of the Canada-wide early learning and child care system and who are critical to the further expansion of child care services in the province.
Building a Canada-wide early learning and child care system that works for families in every region of the country is a key part of the Government of Canada's plan to make life more affordable for families, while also creating good jobs and growing the economy.
