Canada’s child care advocacy association applauds new $5.4 billion federal child care investment and calls for long-term plan 

OTTAWA, 19 JUNE 2026 – Child Care Now, Canada’s national child care advocacy association, applauds the federal government’s decision to provide an additional $5.4 billion dollars to sustain the Canada-wide early learning and child care program over the next two years, but warns that a longer-term plan to support the child care sector and expand affordable child care is needed.

“We have been saying for months that the Carney government must acknowledge affordable child care as a driver of the economy and make federal investments in the program a priority,” said Morna Ballantyne, Child Care Now’s Executive Director. “The funds announced today are urgently needed to keep parent fees low and make child care programs more available and inclusive.”

“We call on the provinces and territories to use the additional money, along with their own increased contributions, to sufficiently fund licensed programs, address the critical shortage of qualified early childhood educators, and increase the supply of not-for-profit child care so that many more families have access to quality, low-capped fee programs.”

Child Care Now also notes that the additional federal funds should pave the way for the renewal of the child care agreements with the Ontario and Alberta governments before their expiry next March.

However, Child Care Now cautions that the addition of $5.4 billion in federal transfer payments for child care over two years (2026-27 and 2027-28) falls short of what is needed to meet the promise made by governments to build over time a high quality $10aDay child care program for all.

“Today the federal government announced a very significant public investment to safeguard the progress Canada has made over the last five years, including big reductions in parent fees,” said Ballantyne. “What is still needed is a comprehensive plan to strengthen and expand the program over the next decade so that children, families and the Canadian economy can all benefit.”

For more information, contact:

Morna Ballantyne, Executive Director, Child Care Now
613.791.3411
morna.ballantyne@childcarenow.ca