Child-care operators and the union CUPE Saskatchewan are warning that funding changes introduced by the provincial government could force more child-care centres in Saskatchewan to close their doors.
Representatives from CUPE Saskatchewan and the advocacy group Child Care Now held a media event outside a child-care centre in Regina, followed by a town hall at the Regina Humane Society, to draw attention to what they describe as a funding crisis in the sector. A sign reading “Child Care Centre Closed” was placed at the podium during the event, though the centre behind the speakers remained open. Organizers said the sign was meant to serve as a warning of closures they believe are coming if the funding situation is not addressed.
Kent Peterson, president of CUPE Saskatchewan, said the government has cut training opportunities for early childhood educators, restricted access to Early Childhood Education Levels 2 and 3, and frozen the creation of new child-care spaces at a time when families face long wait lists. He said families had been promised $10-a-day child care but are now facing new fees and higher costs.
Funding Model Changes Since July 1
Cara Werner, chair of Child Care Now Saskatchewan and a child-care provider herself, said a new funding model introduced by the provincial government on July 1 has added financial strain on operators. She said the changes have restricted funding, halted tuition-free training for Early Childhood Education Levels 2 and 3, scaled back child-care expansion, and allowed for new fees to be charged to families.
Werner said the changes affect whether families can access affordable child care, whether educators remain in the sector, and whether centres can continue operating. She said providers are financially “on the downward slope,” describing the situation as a slow financial decline that is a matter of public record for centres and charities. She said she is personally aware of family child-care centres in Saskatoon that have closed as a result of the July 1 changes, after already struggling with sustainability.
The July 1 funding changes followed an agreement reached earlier this year between the Saskatchewan and federal governments to extend the $10-a-day child-care program. At the time the deal was reached, child-care providers had already raised concerns that the new funding model would not support the viability of their operations.
Government Points to Progress on Spaces and Training
NDP child-care critic Joan Pratchler said the rollout of the changes since July 1 has been “just a mess,” adding she has received calls and emails from centres and family child-care providers who say they cannot make ends meet under the current model.
Werner called on the provincial government to reverse the July 1 changes, conduct a full review of the funding model, ensure funding covers all children receiving care, and support the child-care workforce through fair compensation and a provincial wage grid. She said providers are trying to be proactive on the issue rather than reactive.
Peterson said the goal of the advocacy effort is to warn the provincial government, families, and employers who rely on child care to keep staff in their communities. He said access to early childhood education underpins the ability of workplaces such as potash mines, manufacturing facilities, and hospitals to be properly staffed, since workers need care for their children during shifts.
In response, Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education said it remains committed to supporting affordable, accessible, and sustainable child care, pointing to a five-year extension of the $10-a-day child-care agreement with the federal government running through March 2031. The ministry said the July 1 changes were aimed at stabilizing the child-care system following a period of rapid growth, noting the province has reached 94 per cent of its target to create 28,000 new child-care spaces under the federal-provincial agreement.
Saskatchewan Child-Care Program Progress, Per Ministry of Education
The ministry also said the number of Certified Early Childhood Educators in the province has increased by 56 per cent, and the number of ECE Level III educators has grown by 86 per cent. It said the province will continue to support the creation of additional child-care spaces through a targeted approach focused on underserved communities, including rural and remote areas, along with continued support for educators through tuition reimbursement and workforce development.
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