CANADA: Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan Increase Accessibility Funding to Child Care Facilities

CANADA, December 20 - Released on December 20, 2024

Today, the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada have announced that regulated child care facilities across the province will now receive up to $3,200 per month for every child eligible under the Enhanced Accessibility (EA) Grant, an increase of $1,200. 

The EA Grant assists regulated child care facilities in covering the

additional costs associated with offering services to children who have intensive needs across various areas of development.

"We are listening to the sector and hearing their challenges on being able to offer specialized care," Education Minister Everett Hindley said. "This increase in funding will allow Saskatchewan child care facilities to continue providing safe, inclusive child care for families of children with special needs." 

The grant is provided directly to a regulated child care facility and can be used to assist with the cost of  additional staffing required to care for children with exceptionally high needs. 

The number of children supported with the EA Grants can vary over time as more children enter regulated child care and require additional supports.

"This additional funding is a huge step to support our inclusive environments for children of all abilities," Natural Wonders Early Learning Centre Executive Director Sheila Paradis said. "The increased demand for early learning services in our community has also increased the demand for inclusive services. This is a much-needed change and this increase will help us hire suitably educated inclusion supports who help children overcome challenges, improve their quality of life, impact educational outcomes and significantly influence life long success."

The ministry is committed to supporting child care facilities in building their capacity to meet the needs of children with intensive needs. Supports include access to a tuition-free Autism Certificate of Achievement, tuition-free inclusion micro-credentials, the Building Inclusive Practices initiative and numerous online resources and learning modules in the ministry's Early Learning Portal to support inclusive practices.

"A high-quality, affordable, and flexible child care system must also be inclusive, so every child in Saskatchewan, and across the country, can thrive," Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Jenna Sudds said. "We are making it easier for families to access services that meet the diverse needs of every child."

A one-time Accessibility Rating Grant is now available to child care centres to help identify barriers and create accessible spaces for all children using the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) assessment. The RHFAC is a national rating system that measures and certifies the level of meaningful access to buildings. The $12,500 grant will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis to child care centres with an accessible entryway and experience supporting children with intensive needs.

The Accessibility Rating Grant is a commitment made under Saskatchewan's Action Plan for the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Infrastructure Fund, which provides $19.1 million to Saskatchewan from 2023 to 2026, to help build more inclusive and accessible child care spaces across the province.

Funding for both the EA Grant and the Accessibility Rating Grant is available under the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. The agreement, which was signed in August 2021, supports an early learning and child care system in Saskatchewan based on principles of affordability, accessibility, quality and inclusion.