Families Minister Heather Stefanson announced on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, that the province was investing more than $22 million in new and reallocated funds to create more than 1,400 child care spaces and deliver new child care services.
“Child care is critical to Manitoba’s economic recovery and growth, and we are ensuring that Manitoba families have access to quality child care that meets their needs during this unprecedented time,” said Stefanson. “We are investing millions of dollars to ensure that parents have access to child care when they need it the most – so they know their children are safely cared for as they return to work and adjust to the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Up to $8.5 million of the money will be spent to meet the needs of under-served families, especially those who work non-standard hours. Some of the funding will be used to support the long-tern sustainability of child care providers.
The programs will be managed through a partnership with both the Winnipeg and Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and will include up to $4 million for workplaces to offer onsite child care services for their employees, up to $1.5 million in grants for home-based child care providers to enhance spaces, $2 million for licensed child cares to create satellite locations, $750,000 for community organizations to develop more diverse child care options and $250,000 to help child care providers participating in these programs to find and retain families to fill available spaces.
© News4.ca 2020
