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More than 3,700 new licensed childcare spaces at public schools and post-secondary institutions are set to be created in Manitoba, thanks to $180 million in funding from the province and the federal government.
But with Manitoba's shortfall of 1,000 early childhood educators, the executive director of the Manitoba Child Care Association says more investments in workforce recruitment and retention is needed.
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Through funding under the Canada-Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, $132 million will be spent across 36 public schools to create more than 2,400 childcare spaces for children under seven years old, the province and federal government said in a joint news release.
An additional $45 million will support more than 680 childcare space expansions for children under seven in six different post-secondary institutions, including Assiniboine Community College, MITT, Red River College Polytechnic, the University College of the North, the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg.
Those expansions include two space renovations, two building additions and five stand-alone facilities.
"It's going to make a real difference for parents," federal Families Minister Karina Gould said at the news conference.
"We know accessing childcare — actually finding a space — has been a struggle for a long time and so we're working on it."
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While there has been some investment in the early childhood education workforce, Kehl said more is needed.
"We need a comprehensive workforce strategy that is addressing the systemic issues that have been present in Manitoba for decades," she said.
Kehl said increasing educators' salaries and providing professional development opportunities, group benefits and pensions are key to making sure they're fully supported.