Federal and provincial governments funding 3,700 new child care spaces in Manitoba

Manitoba will be getting more than 3,700 new child care spaces thanks to new funding from the federal and provincial governments.

In a joint announcement Thursday, the governments of Manitoba and Canada said they are putting $180 million towards creating the new spaces through the Canada-Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement.

"We need to ensure that every family who needs a space has access to one for their child," said federal families, children and social development minister Karina Gould.

Most of the new spots will be for children under the age of seven, spread across 36 public schools and six post secondary institutions, including Assiniboine Community College in Brandon.

“These 216 spaces will go a long way to increasing access to child care. This investment in child care alongside support for Assiniboine’s North Hill campus expansion is more than welcome news,” said Mark Frison, President of Assiniboine Community College in a news release. “We have long been invested in providing quality early learning programming and responding to labour market needs in this sector and others. These additional spaces will bolster both of these efforts.”

The remaining new child care spots will be for children aged 7 to 12 at Université de Saint-Boniface and additional public schools.

Manitoba's education and early childhood learning minister Wayne Ewasko said those costs will be covered by the province through capital expansions.

"Because right now under the Canada-Manitoba agreement, the 7 to 12 age of students is not covered," said Ewasko at the announcement.

The public school child-care space expansion includes six room conversions, two building additions and 28 new stand-alone facilities. The post-secondary institution expansions will include two major space renovations, two building additions, and five new stand-alone facilities.