Advocates Talk Child Care with Saskatchewan Education Minister
April 16, 2025
Members of Child Care Now’s Saskatchewan chapter met with Education Minister Everett Hindley on April 15, 2025 to discuss the need to strengthen and expand the $10 a day child care program in the province..
The child care advocates asked the Minister to stand on guard for child care and address the needs of families in the province, regardless of the outcome of the federal election.
“Everyone depends on someone who depends on child care” said Sue Delanoy, Chair of the Child Care Now Saskatchewan chapter. “Saskatchewan is a great place to live and access to child care will make it even better because child care is vital to the economic health of our communities, especially rural communities which are now underserved.”
Delanoy said Child Care Now Saskatchewan shared with the Minister the concern that hundreds if not thousands of child care spaces are at risk of closing within the next couple of years because provincial funding has been insufficient to address the rising costs of quality programs and because many programs are facing an uncertain financial future.
Child care is vital to the economic health of our communities. Saskatchewan has yet to extend its child care funding agreement with the federal government. Until that’s addressed, uncertainty will remain.
Sue Delanoy, Chair of Child Care Now Saskatchewan
“While we think the minister understands the scope of the problem, the reality is that centres are struggling and don’t know what to expect from the province because Saskatchewan has yet to extend its child care funding agreement with the federal government. Until that’s addressed, uncertainty will remain.”
Cara Steiner, executive director of Prairie Lily Early Learning Centres in Regina, who also attended the meeting said, “I left the meeting feeling like the Minister is aware of our concerns. We are looking forward to seeing the provincial government sign a renewed agreement with the federal government quickly so we can keep working on building a strong child care system.”
Delanoy said the meeting was a success, but added, “the proof is in the pudding.”
“We want the Saskatchewan government to announce specific goals and timelines for improving child care in the province,” she said.
