New agreement to strengthen the early learning and child care system in Quebec

@ Niten Sing
The governments of Quebec and Canada recognize Quebec’s leadership in early learning and child care and together, they have announced an asymmetric agreement for the federal transfer of nearly $6 billion over five years. This includes a significant portion that will go toward strengthening the early learning and child care system in Quebec and improving working conditions for educators.

The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, the Premier of Quebec, François Legault, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen, and the Quebec Minister of Families and the Minister Responsible for the Outaouais region, Mathieu Lacombe, made this announcement today.

The agreement follows the Government of Canada’s plan announced in the last federal budget to provide parents across Canada with early learning and child care spaces for an average of $10 a day for children under the age of six. Through this agreement, the Government of Canada is supporting Quebec families, while recognizing that Quebec will maintain its role in setting priorities in early learning and child care, an area exclusive to Quebec and in which it already has a proven track record.

Almost 25 years ago, Quebec indeed understood the importance of implementing an early learning and child care system that provides quality, affordable child care for all children, all the while facilitating the participation of parents, especially mothers, in the workforce. Now is the time for the rest of Canada to follow Quebec’s lead and learn from its pioneering practices.