Saskatchewan Creates More Childcare Spaces

June 5 2003 - Saskatchewan's provincial government is providing an additional 70 places in Saskatoon this year as part of the province's ChildCare Saskatchewan initiative. 12 new spaces will go to the Boys and Girls Club, two to Families First, 20 to Etahkanawasot and 36 to a new affordable housing initiative. This means that the total number of licensed childcare centre spaces in Saskatoon will reach 1248.

Across the province, the government is spending $1.8 million to create 500 newly funded childcare spaces this year as the first step of the plan that will create 1200 new ones during the next four years.

"The new childcare spaces increase families' access to quality and affordable childcare while they go to school or work," Community Resources and Employment Minister Glenn Hagel said while visiting Roland Michener School in Saskatoon.

"ChildCare Saskatchewan helps our children get a good start in life and ensures a future that is wide open to opportunity," Hagel added. "A future that is wide open to anyone prepared to dream big, plan well and work hard."

ChildCare Saskatchewan is a $3 million dollar program with $2.2 million coming from the Government of Saskatchewan and $800,000 in funding from the Government of Canada. Other initiatives supported by the program include $1 million in funding to increase childcare subsidies by $20 per month and a $200,000 increase in Early Childhood Services grant funding to address wage and human resource requirements in licensed childcare facilities.

The Government of Saskatchewan is spending $22 million this year to support approximately 7,900 childcare spaces in Saskatchewan.