Alberta New Democrats would pump an extra $268 million into creating thousands of new child-care spaces in the province and capping fees, party leader Brian Mason said Monday.
Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason paused to play with a group of children during a child-care funding announcement Monday in Edmonton.
(CBC)
"Families pay fees that have gone through the roof and compete for the scarce spaces available," Mason told a group of families and child-care workers at Edmonton's Garneau Child Care Centre. "Our plan makes child care more affordable for regular families," he added.
The NDP plan would:
- Create 4,000 new child-care spaces.
- Cap fees at $25 per day for daycare and $9 per day for after-school care.
- Provide grants to child-care centres to help them offer competitive wages to staff.
- Continue providing daycare subsidies to low-income families.
- Create provincewide standards and provide financial support for after-school care.
- Increase startup grants for daycare centres and day homes.
The cap on daycare fees would cut the cost from as much as $1,000 a month to $500 a month, and after-school care from as much as $350 a month to $180 a month, Mason said.
Mason said the NDP is the only party making a real financial commitment to child care in the campaign for the March 3 election.
The Liberals' child-care platform, which has no dollar figure attached, calls for increased startup funding for daycare centres and wage enhancements for staff.
The Conservative program centres on increased tax credits to parents.
Related
Internal Links
External Links
(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window)
Alberta Votes 2008 »
- It's 'Ed's Empire' after Alberta election sweep
- Political observers in Alberta are calling it remarkable and opposition politicians are wondering what hit them after Ed Stelmach guided his Conservative party Monday to one of its biggest majorities ever.
- Low voter turnout in Alberta election being questioned
- As Premier Ed Stelmach and Alberta Conservatives savour their sweeping election victory, some people are raising a nagging concern: why so few people bothered to vote.
- Albertans elect historic 11th straight Tory government
- Voters in Alberta stuck with tried-and-true blue, giving the Progressive Conservative party an unprecedented 11th consecutive majority government in Monday's provincial election.
- Political tide turns in Edmonton
- Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach has proven true to his word, putting the "Ed" back in Edmonton.
- Conservatives' Calgary fortress resists change
- The Progressive Conservatives' fortress in Calgary stood strong as the party took 18 of the city's 23 ridings Monday night.
Riding Profiles
More Alberta Votes Headlines »
- It's 'Ed's Empire' after Alberta election sweep
- Political observers in Alberta are calling it remarkable and opposition politicians are wondering what hit them after Ed Stelmach guided his Conservative party Monday to one of its biggest majorities ever.
- Low voter turnout in Alberta election being questioned
- As Premier Ed Stelmach and Alberta Conservatives savour their sweeping election victory, some people are raising a nagging concern: why so few people bothered to vote.
- Albertans elect historic 11th straight Tory government
- Voters in Alberta stuck with tried-and-true blue, giving the Progressive Conservative party an unprecedented 11th consecutive majority government in Monday's provincial election.
- Political tide turns in Edmonton
- Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach has proven true to his word, putting the "Ed" back in Edmonton.
- Conservatives' Calgary fortress resists change
- The Progressive Conservatives' fortress in Calgary stood strong as the party took 18 of the city's 23 ridings Monday night.
