Canada invests in accessible and disability inclusive early learning and child care system across Canada

Ottawa:  Building a barrier-free country is a key priority for the Government of Canada. That is why it is working closely with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners to create an early learning and child care system that is high quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive. These efforts will help ensure that all families in Canada – including those with children with disabilities – have access to child care that is adapted to their needs, and inclusive from the start.

Today, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, joined with Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, to announce $12.5 million in funding support for 225 regulated and/or licensed early learning and child care centres across Canada through the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) small projects component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF).

Minister Qualtrough and Minister Gould made the announcement at the Centre d’appui et de prevention in Ottawa, Ontario. The centre is receiving $37,009 under the ELCC-EAF to provide its educational centre with specialized equipment for children with special needs including the creation of a sensory room, which will enable children with disabilities to thrive in a stimulating environment that is safe and respects their needs.

The Government of Canada made a transformative investment of more than $27 billion over five years to build a Canada-wide early learning and child care system in partnership with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners. Combined with other investments, including in Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care, up to $30 billion over five years will be provided in support of early learning and child care.

Agreements reached with every province and territory to create a Canada-wide $10-a-day Early Learning and Child Care system will ensure every child, including children with disabilities, Indigenous children, and official language minorities, have access to affordable, high quality child care.

Building an affordable child care system that is accessible and inclusive to all Canadians in every region of the country is key to the Government’s efforts to support families while also creating good jobs and growing the economy.