The Government of Canada has been working closely with the Government of Quebec to ensure all families have access to affordable and high-quality child care. The COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges, including temporary closures and loss of critical revenue from placement fees, which have put the sector at risk.

“The availability of affordable, high-quality and flexible child care will be key to ensuring Canadian parents can return to work and our economy can recover from this crisis. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the child care sector to ensure all Canadian families will have access to the quality child care they need.”
– Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen

• Quebec will receive $137 million of the Government of Canada’s $625 million child care Safe Restart Fund.

• This investment is in addition to the $1.2 billion over three years that was distributed to the provinces and territories, starting in 2017-18, to support early learning and child care and create up to 40,000 more affordable child care spaces.

• Funding is allocated to the provinces and territories based on the existing allocation formula used for the Early Learning and Child Care Bilateral Agreements.

• The key priorities to safely restart Canada’s economy are:

  • Testing, contact tracing, and data management
  • Health care system capacity
  • Vulnerable populations
  • Municipalities
  • Personal protective equipment for health and non-health workers
  • Child care for returning workers
  • Pan-Canadian sick leave

Associated links

• Multilateral Early Leaning and Child Care Framework
• Early Learning and Child Care Bilateral Agreements
• Priorities to safely restart Canada’s economy

For media enquiries, please contact:

Jessica Eritou
Press Secretary
Office of Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen
jessica.eritou@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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