Higher fees, broken promises: $10-a-day child care on life support in Saskatchewan

In response to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's cuts to child care, CUPE SK president Kent Peterson released the following statement

Scott Moe’s child care cuts break the promise of $10-a-day child care and will cost families and workers more.

Restricting tuition free training to Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Level I will make staffing shortages worse, puts centres at risk of failing certification requirements of ECE II and ECE III staffing levels, and limit career advancement opportunities.

Despite already falling short of its child care space targets, as documented by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Sask. Party has chosen to freeze the creation of new spaces.

Instead of providing real funding, Moe is introducing extended hours fees. By redefining what counts as ‘core’ child care services, this government is backing away from $10-a-day child care and forcing operators to pass new costs onto parents. For a system already on life support, this could mean hundreds of dollars more each month for families.

Affordable child care should not come with an asterisk. Saskatchewan families need real investment, not backdoor fees.