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I feel it's important to correct inaccurate information that appeared in the Jan. 24 edition of the Gazette regarding the province's commitment to childcare - and the status of the Child Care Resource and Referral Program.
Families should know that the province is not reducing its contribution to childcare funding. Rather, as a result of a challenge we have been presented with, we are refocusing those dollars to ensure programs that support our most vulnerable children and families are maintained.
As a result, resource and referral services will be impacted but, contrary to what appeared in the Gazette, these services will continue to exist but will be delivered in a different way.
The challenge I refer to is the result of Ottawa's decision to cancel the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement which represents a loss of $455 million to the province over the next three years.
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We have committed to maintaining the childcare subsidy that supports about 25,000 low- and middle-income families, an annual investment of $126 million. We have also committed to maintaining supported child development that allows about 5,500 special needs children in this province participate in childcare settings, an annual investment of $54 million.
Childcare operating funding which goes to licensed childcare providers will revert to 2005 levels. This represents a rate change which on average, will be about $2 per day per child, or about $40 per month. The expectation is that any increase parents may see will be offset by the $100 Universal Child Benefit that they are now seeing on a monthly basis to support their child care needs.
With respect to childcare resource and referral services, there will be a significant change to the current program.
I understand the nature of the support that this program currently provides and want to ensure we can still provide these services, but in a different way.
As a result, over the coming weeks and months, we will be examining alternative ways of delivering these services.
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- reprinted from the Grand Forks Gazette