Unifor urges hold-out Premiers to sign onto the future of $10aDay

TORONTO, March 6, 2025 /CNW/ - Unifor celebrates today's federal announcement of the continuation of Canada's $10aDay child care, but urges the Premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan to also sign on and not threaten future funding for affordable child care.

"As prices go up on everything else and our economy is rocked with uncertainty, families across the country can count on the future of $10aDay child care. This program has had incredible effects on women, child care workers and Canada's economy as a whole," said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. "There is no good reason for any Premier to delay signing onto an extension. You're either in favour of accessible child care or you're leaving families in uncertainty."

The federal government announced the new 5-year funding agreements with 11 of the 13 provinces and territories to extend the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care program until at least 2031. These commitments from both levels of government show a promise of stability for child care workers and the families who rely on them.

Since its historic introduction in 2022, the CWELCC program has raised Canada's GDP by $32 Billion and has allowed women to return to the workforce. 

https://childcarenow.ca/2024/11/25/released-today-powering-growth-economic-benefits-from-canadas-10-per-day-early-learning-and-child-care-program-by-dr-jim-stanford-economist-and-director-centre-for-future-work/

https://centreforfuturework.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Child-Care-Economic-Benefits-Nov2024-FINAL.pdf

"Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives will not commit to the future of the $10aDay program, despite the obvious benefits for Canada's economy and for the children and families that rely on this generational investment. The clock is ticking for Premiers Moe, and Smith to lock in their deals to protect families in Saskatchewan and Alberta," continued Payne.

Now that these agreements are made, the next step is to negotiate action plans to lay the rules that provinces must abide by to distribute the funding. Unifor urges the federal government and provinces to improve child care workers wages and benefits and to increase spaces withing the $10aDay program. CWELCC funding should go towards not-for-profit and public spaces in order to keep public investment in public services, not private profits.

Unifor members can join the call for Ontario to sign onto the $10aDay extension by signing onto the Parents for Child Care's open letter.

SOURCE Unifor