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N.W.T. a quarter of the way to creating 300 new child-care spaces by 2026

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Government officials say the territory is still on track to meeting its target
Author: 
Pressman, Natalie
Format: 
Article
Publication Date: 
11 Jun 2024
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Excerpts

The Northwest Territories has committed to creating 300 new child-care spaces by 2026, and officials say they're on track to meet that goal — even though the territory has only opened 76 new spaces so far.

The new spaces are part of a deal with the federal government focused on making child care more accessible and more affordable. A $50 million investment from Ottawa in 2021 was intended to create the 300 new spaces and reduce child-care fees to $10-a-day within a five-year span.

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Many of the territory's 33 communities have no child-care facilities at all, meaning some communities cannot benefit from the deal. Matthew Milovanic, director of the territory's department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), says the government is working to change that. 

He said the government currently has a pilot program that allows those in public housing to open a family day home in government-owned units. He said ECE also has funding to support those looking to open a new child-care space. 

"The [government of the Northwest Territories] is very aware that it needs to create those 300 spaces in the Canada-wide agreement," he said. 

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