REGINA — The pressure is still on the Saskatchewan government to come to a deal on an extension of the child care agreement with the federal government.
At a media availability in Regina, the opposition New Democrats stood alongside child care providers in their latest call to get a deal done. They noted it was only 184 days until the current child care agreement is set to expire.
“Today we are sounding the alarm on the impending child care emergency,” said Kent Peterson, president of CUPE Saskatchewan.
“The countdown has begun. Six months from now, ten dollar a day child care will be dead in Saskatchewan. If Scott Moe refuses to renew the agreement with the federal government, our province will lose more than one billion dollars of funding. Let me be clear, if Scott Moe continues to do nothing, it will mean the end of affordable child care in Saskatchewan.”
Sue Delanoy of Child Care Now Saskatchewan said she had been in Ottawa last week alongside child care advocates.
“We met with Minister (Patty) Hajdu who said there are a few provinces that haven't signed, the deal is at risk, and we need to remember to sign as quickly as we can because time is running out,” said Delanoy.
She noted the importance of child care to the provincial economy.
“Canola, potash, manufacturing, it's all important, but without child care this province doesn't work. I know right now that the premier is in northern Saskatchewan apologizing for his lack of attention to what has happened in one of the fire communities. He needs to come and apologize why he hasn't signed the deal for Saskatchewan.”
Child care providers raised the spectre that they would lose funding to keep their doors open. Kelsey Morrison, board chair at a rural child care centre Prairie Playhouse Early Learning Centre in Sedley, said she was “scared of what the future holds if the government continues to drag its feet with this child care deal.”
“There's so many benefits to child care in our communities. And now to know that all of that hard work has gone unnoticed and could literally be lost if this government doesn't get a deal, it's heartbreaking to think about. And that's why I'm here today to urge this government to do the right thing, get to the table and negotiate a deal that will see public child care continue in this province.”
NDP critic for Child Care and Early Learning Joan Pratchler noted there was already a child care centre "right here in Regina, right under the minister's nose" that was “closing its doors as we speak” — referring to Little Memories Child Care on Dewdney Ave.
“It's as if this Sask Party government doesn't give a rat's patoosie about the suffering of our communities, our children, our child care workers, our families, and we can't have a bright future in this province if we don't have affordable child care,” said Pratchler. “The government knows exactly what's expected of them, and to the Sask Party government I say smarten up, smarten up, get this deal signed, fly to Ottawa and sign it. And that's about all I need to say right now. I think I've made my point quite clear.”
In an emailed response from the Sask Party government, they noted that Morrison was currently employed in the Saskatchewan NDP Caucus Office as their Stakeholder Relations Officer and that Peterson was Campaign Manager for Carla Beck’s leadership campaign.
At a news conference on Monday, Premier Scott Moe was asked about the concerns raised by the NDP and he responded there was no need to worry about a deal not getting done.
"They should not worry about losing their jobs," said Moe. "The province and the federal government will come to an agreement, I am certain. I would speak to the more recent relationship that the province and the federal government have been embarking on as proof of that is going to happen. There are legitimate questions on how sustainable our child care program is moving forward, even by those jurisdictions that have already signed the agreement. I'm confident we're going to find a path forward. We're not late. There's still a half a year or better left in the existing program that we have. I'm very, very confident that the minister as well as the federal government are going to be able to come to an agreement on this particular program and many others in the not too distant future either. Not to worry, it will be forthcoming."
As for when to expect a deal done Moe replied: "as soon as possible."
Last week, Education Minister Everett Hindley was asked where things stood on a child care agreement, and he reiterated he was reaching out to try and get a deal done.
“I've said multiple times that we've been reaching out regularly, consistently, perhaps persistently, with our federal counterparts to renegotiate some changes to that deal, which currently expires at the end of March of 2026. To date, we haven't had any response, I guess, from the federal government in terms of where that would be at, but we remain ready and open to be able to sit down with our counterparts to reach an agreement there.”
Hindley also did speak about discussions he had a few weeks ago at the announcement of number of new childcare spaces across Sask Polytechnic campuses across Saskatchewan.
“The Secretary of State for Saskatchewan, Mr. Buckley Belanger, was there on behalf of the Government of Canada, and he and I had a discussion, a conversation there, and I know that he spoke publicly to the media as well and expressed his confidence that the federal government and our provincial government would be able to achieve an agreement, I think, by the end of this year. We've reached out again to the federal minister responsible, my office has done that, to try and set up a phone call or a meeting to renegotiate that, and I'm optimistic that we'll get it done."
