Excerpt
Some child care advocates in Saskatchewan say the province’s extended child care agreement is playing out differently than expected, hitting some parents with higher fees than anticipated.
Last November, the provincial government announced the extension of its $10-a-day child care agreement with the federal government.
The extended agreement includes an expanded age eligibility, meaning six-year-old children could continue to receive the $10-a-day child care until they finish the school year, as of the 2026-2027 budget cycle.
But some child care advocates say they assumed the $10-a-day child care agreement applied to all children turning six this year, even if they turn six before the new agreement takes effect.
“It’s very frustrating. We keep advocating for the families of Saskatchewan, and they just keep getting the short end of the stick, unfortunately,” said Cara Werner, chair of Child Care Now Saskatchewan.
The new deal takes effect on April 1, the day after the old agreement ends. The old agreement ran for a five-year term, starting in the fall of 2021, for children under the age of six.
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