Legislation that solidifies the federal government’s commitment to providing long-term funding for the national child care system is on the brink of becoming law.
The bill aims to embed the child care system into legislation, establishing safeguards to prevent future administrations from defunding it.
In 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government unveiled plans for a national child care system and negotiated agreements with all provinces and territories to offer daycare services for an average cost of $10 per day by 2026.
As part of this initiative, provinces and territories have significantly reduced fees at public and nonprofit child care facilities by an average of at least 50 percent.
While the national child care system has received praise for making daycare more financially accessible and facilitating increased workforce participation among women, it continues to confront challenges. These include difficulties for families in securing available spots and operators grappling with escalating costs.
The House of Commons recently endorsed Senate amendments to the bill, which include provisions safeguarding services for official-language minority communities.
This legislative step occurred late Thursday, with the Commons adjourning early to honor the passing of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
During the adjournment, Conservative MP John Nater offered condolences to Mulroney’s family on behalf of parliamentarians, acknowledging the late prime minister’s significant contributions to the nation.