Parents in Saskatchewan say they’re concerned about the future of the $10-a-day childcare program in the province.
Amber Englund, a parent, explained, “We’re saving probably $7,000 to $8,000 a year right now,” but fears that could change if the provincial government does not extend its agreement with the federal government.
“At a time when we’re in an affordability crisis, when tariffs are rocking our economy, are we really going to maybe go back to spending over a thousand dollars a month per child on childcare?” said Meara Conway, the NDP MLA for Regina Elphinstone-Centre.
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The Saskatchewan government says it’s open to an extension but wants to negotiate further.
“Our government is willing to negotiate an extension to the agreement before the expiration in 2026,” said the Education ministry in a statement. “Negotiations should include increased flexibility within our agreement as well as discussions on items included in other provincial child care agreements.”
Sue Delanoy, Chairperson of Child Care Now Saskatchewan says parents need certainty about child care costs now.
“The actions of this provincial government are effectively holding parents and operators hostage, making it hard for families to afford the cost of living while leaving thousands of spaces at risk of closure,” said Delanoy.
“All of this while severely underspending the funding they’ve received already, leaving a whopping 1.6 billion in more funding on the table, and inflating how much they’ve been doing in the meantime,” Delanoy added.
Englund worries that without an extension, she and other parents will face financial strain again. “I don’t want to go back to where we were,” Amber said, emphasizing the pressure families are under.
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