P.E.I. becomes latest province to sign on to Liberals' national child-care program
Prince Edward Island has become the third province to sign on to the federal government's national child-care program, allowing it to receive about $120 million from Ottawa for $10-dollar-a-day child-care spots by the end of 2024.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement Tuesday in Charlottetown alongside Premier Dennis King. Trudeau said the deal would apply to children under the age of six.
The deal would also cut average child-care fees on the Island in half by the end of 2022 for children under six and create more than 450 new spots in the province within two years, the prime minister said.
"This ambitious timeline goes to show not only how dedicated P.E.I. is to making life more affordable for families. It's also an example of how working closely with the federal government means real change that happens fast," Trudeau said.
The prime minister made his announcement Tuesday at the Carrefour de l'Isle-Saint-Jean in Charlottetown, a French-language school and community centre. Before speaking to reporters, Trudeau played briefly with some young children at the centre and spoke to them in both official languages, as they showed him their clay creations and plastic toys shaped like fruits and vegetables.
Nova Scotia on July 13 became the second province, after British Columbia, to sign on to the program, allowing it to receive $605 million from Ottawa to lower child-care fees to $10 dollars a day in five years. Trudeau said his government has also signed a child-care agreement with Yukon.
King recognized that while the deal would create 450 new child-care spaces on the Island, that wouldn't be enough for all the province's children. He said he would announce other programs "in the days ahead" regarding how his government would add more spaces.
"I think it's fair to say our desire here is, in the shortest amount of time as possible, we want to make sure this is available to every child in Prince Edward Island no matter how much money your parents have, or where you live, or what your background is."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.