Association asks province to pause consultation on axing nursery school grant, other changes

The Manitoba Child Care Association is calling on the Progressive Conservative government to halt an online consultation on proposed changes to early childhood education that may strip funding from child-care centres and eliminate a cap on some parent fees.

The government is thinking of axing the enhanced nursery grant — a pool of money that lets nearly 70 nursery programs charge parents as little as $5 a day.

It may also lift the cap on parent fees, but only at unlicensed child-care spaces.

The government has asked the public to provide feedback on its plans to overhaul the child-care system through an online portal by Aug. 12. 

But the Manitoba Child Care Association says the timing is not reasonable given the pandemic. 

"It is unrealistic and unfair to expect individuals to have the time to give thorough consideration to the proposed changes," Caryn LaFleche, president of the Manitoba Child Care Association, said in a news release.

"Early learning and child-care programs' main priority is how to provide quality, nurturing child care while maintaining the safety and health of the children, families and staff during this time." 

Liberals ask PCs to axe proposal 

The Manitoba Liberals asked the Progressive Conservative government to scrap the proposed changes at a news conference Tuesday morning. 

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said the changes could be "really, genuinely harmful." 

"I think the root of the problem and why the system doesn't get the support it needs is that the Conservatives see this as a private problem for families to solve on their own," he said.

"Instead of recognizing that the world and the economy have changed, the PCs want to pass moral judgment on parents who may be working full time but still struggling to afford to put food on the table."

At the news conference, Kisa MacIsaac, an early childhood educator, said investing in child care and early childhood education pays off in the long run, with studies suggesting early learning can lead to better high school graduation rates, lower crime and better health outcomes overall. 

"Is that not what we want? To me, that's the solution and that's the answer to our problems," she said. 

"That money comes back in the long term. It's an investment. The province should not be trying to balance their budget on the backs of children and families."

NDP Leader Wab Kinew spoke out against the plan last week. 

"Now is the time when any rational government that cares about the people of Manitoba should be making investments in strengthening child care and making sure that early childhood education is strong," he said at a news conference. 

Opposition 'fearmongering': families minister 

Families Minister Heather Stefanson said in a statement the opposition parties are spreading misinformation about the Progressive Conservative government's position on child care and "fearmongering."

The government has consulted widely with the child-care sector, including with the Manitoba Child Care Association and the Child Care Coalition of Manitoba, Stefanson said.

"What we heard from stakeholders was the need to streamline regulatory requirements so that child-care providers can focus on what matters most — providing accessible, quality early learning and child care for Manitoba families," she said. 

The current enhanced nursery school grant system is "not working for Manitoba families" and creates a two-tier system of nursery schools in which some receive the operating grants and some don't, Stefanson said.

"There is no difference in the services provided between these two tiers and there is no income test for parents accessing child care at reduced fees," she said. 

"The regulatory changes reflect our intention to move toward a fair funding model that better supports all nursery school programs in Manitoba so that we give families equal access to child care."