Childcare -- Image from CP

By Connor Gunn

Alberta providing more support for childcare operators

Nov 8, 2021 | 2:51 PM

EDMONTON, AB – Alberta’s government is directing almost $35 million in funding to licensed child care programs to help recruit and keep “skilled educators.”

As part of the program, the province is also providing one-time COVID relief funding.

“To help strengthen the child care sector, the Alberta government is directing funding from the annual Canada-Alberta bilateral agreement to help child care operators navigate through these unprecedented times,” the release reads.

This funding will recruit and retain qualified educators and keep skilled staff within the sector.

Alberta says about $19 million has already been distributed to child care operators. In addition, approximately $15 million in unspent bilateral funding will be provided to the child care sector for COVID-19 relief.

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Funding to support the sector includes:

• $20.57 million for a child care staff recovery and retention program to help attract and retain qualified and certified educators to the sector, and to acknowledge long-term staff who have worked throughout the pandemic.
• Approximately $15 million in unspent (due to lower than expected enrolment and expenditures) bilateral funding from the federal government for COVID-19 relief to further support operators as quickly as possible.

Alberta NDP representatives have responded to the news criticizing why the UCP government didn’t use the $10/day child care agreement with the federal government.

“We need to keep our child care centres open and right now, many are closing or at risk of closing. Today we are calling on the UCP to immediately support these centres by using the approximately $70 million in unspent dollars from the Children’s Services budget until an agreement with the federal government is reached,” says NDP Critic for Children’s Services Rakhi Pancholi.

More information on the funding and the program can be found at alberta.ca.