Families, Operators Wait While Government Drags Its Feet on Childcare
- NL NDP
- 1m
- 2 min read
For Immediate Release
June 5, 2025
NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) says that while waitlists grow and demand skyrockets, government is allowing applications for childcare operator funding to be caught up in red tape and delays. He says affordable early childhood education and accessible funding must be a priority to government.
“We’re hearing from operators ready to open more childcare spaces across the province, but they’re stuck waiting months for a response from government. These delays are blocking critical access for families,” said Dinn. “If we’re serious about economic growth and gender equity, we need to prioritize timely funding and cut red tape so operators can open more spaces now—not months or years down the line.
“We have an aging population in this province. If we want to encourage families to make Newfoundland and Labrador their home, we need to make sure we have resources like affordable childcare,” said Dinn.
He points to a post by childcare advocacy group ABC’s and ECE’s NL highlighting that operators are being told there’s no more funding for the $10-a-day childcare program. Dinn says the government must expand provincial funding to ensure the program meets the growing demand for affordable childcare.
“We know this issue especially impacts women getting back into the work force and building their career. If government is going to use $10 a day childcare as something their doing for gender pay equity, then those spaces, and the appropriate funding to create those spaces, must be available.
“This is an affordability issue. The stress of not having childcare is real. Not being able to go back to work because of the lack of affordable spaces means losing income,” said Dinn. “What families don’t need after having a child is the fear of losing their job, losing their home, not being able to afford food, etc.
“At the end of the day, it’s about families, it’s about affordability, and it’s about supporting our early childhood educators who prepare our children for the future.”
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca