Today marks the National Day of Action on Child Care and Early Learning. Advocates from this province are taking the opportunity to highlight work that needs to be done in this province, to make child care more accessible.

‘Child Care Now’ groups across the country, including Child Care Now NL, is calling on the federal government to do more in the 2024 federal budget.

• Provide equitable wages to early childhood educators and other staff
• Fund the capital costs required to end the gaps in child care spaces

“We’re asking everyone in Newfoundland and Labrador to add their names to this open letter and to call on the provincial government to address the workforce crisis so that families and early childhood educators fare much better,” said Maria Gentle, Executive Director of the YWCA St. John’s and Child Care Now NL steering committee member.

“We know this is a gender-equity issue. If governments do not properly compensate early childhood educators and fund building costs, we will not see the equitable expansion of highly quality, inclusive, and affordable child care in Newfoundland and Labrador,” she added.