The Saskatchewan government is allocating nearly $18.9 million in funding for child care centres and homes to help offset additional expenses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The government recognizes the additional financial pressures being experienced by child care facilities in providing quality early learning and child care opportunities during the pandemic,” said Education Minister Dustin Duncan, in a press release. “This investment will give certainty to those who work in the sector and provide them with the support and resources they need to continue safely caring for children.”
The funding will be provided from the Federal Safe Restart Agreement, distributed in the form of two grant programs.
A one-time COVID Supplement Grant will provide $600 per space to all licensed child care centres and homes, totalling $10.6 million. A one-time Deficit support Grant will be provided to facilities that experienced deficits, based on financial information submitted to the ministry in February, for a total of over $8.3 million.
Facilities eligible for the Deficit Support Grant will receive information from their early learning and child care consultants.
The support grants are intended to target facilities that have been financially impacted by COVID-19 and to help facilities remain open, take additional safety precautions and support the child care needs of parents returning to work.
Child care centres have continued to receive operating grants from the provincial government throughout the pandemic, as well as additional support grants to address the safety precautions necessitated by COVID-19.
