The provincial and federal government has set April 2, 2023, as the date an initiative kicks in to bring down the cost of child care across Manitoba.

The date is several years ahead of what was expected, but also follows roughly two years of structuring and negotiating the plan.

Styled as an initiative to put more money back in the pockets of Canadian families that supports economic growth and giving children a good start in life, it’s said the plan will save families hundreds of dollars per child, per month.

High-quality, low-cost child care is seen as key to supporting families in ways that are good for both the economy and the people it serves.

The province says with federal funding support it aims to create 23,000 new child-care spaces as part of the Canada-wide system by 2026, to improve access to affordable child care for families. More than 3,300 of these spaces have already been announced.