EXCERPTS
The federal government is proposing to slash childcare fees by half, which could give farm families a leg up.
Released in April, Budget 2021 proposes new investments totalling up to $30 billion over the next five years in early learning and child care. Combined with previous investments, a minimum of $9.2 billion per year ongoing will be invested in child care, starting in 2025-26.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, women in agriculture already had to face the challenges of balancing responsibilities and expectations tied to their jobs and families. For farm families, we need services that allow women farmers to better balance their lives between family, farm, off-farm employment and community leadership. By investing in early learning and child care, we can help women of the agriculture sector tackle these needs with intelligence and determination,” says federal agriculture minister, Marie-Claude Bibeau.
The plan will aim to reduce fees for parents with children in regulated child care by 50 per cent on average by 2022, with a goal of reaching $10 per day on average by 2025-26 for all regulated child care spaces in Canada.
“The measures announced in Budget 2021 recognize the important contributions that women in the agriculture sector are making today, and into the future. Diversity and inclusion are integral to creating an economy that works for everyone. The perspectives and insights of these women are needed to tap into opportunities and address challenges facing the sector, especially in a changed world post COVID-19,” says Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, Terry Duguid.
Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada