For Immediate Release
19 January, 2024
Lela Evans (Torngat Mountains) says the Furey Liberal government must start taking meaningful action to address the lack of available childcare in this province. Evans states that childcare in this province is at a crisis level, and is impacting families’ ability to work and care for their children and themselves.
The 2023 Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report “Newfoundland and Labrador’s 2023 Living Wages” states, “Affordable childcare is virtually a myth in much of the province,” which makes it hard for families with children to keep their heads afloat during the cost of living crisis. The report also states, “50% of women workers earn less than the living wage,” in this province.
“Government has failed families and women with pay equity and support to go back in the work force. We see government flaunt $10-a-day childcare as a way to help close the gender pay gap, yet we know from this report that this program is virtually unavailable for many families,” Evans said. “It’s clear the Liberals had no plan for the roll out of $10-a-day childcare, and now we are facing a crisis.”
The Department of Education recently confirmed that 1200 new childcare spaces were added to the province in 2023. This is just 20% of the 6000 the provincial and federal government have promised to have created by 2025. Evans says unless the Liberals listen to childcare workers, it will be hard to keep this promise.
“Nova Scotia has implemented a benefits agreement for childcare workers, which includes a health plan and a pension plan. Why doesn’t this Furey government follow their lead?” said Evans. “If they really wanted to address the crisis, they could. Workers on the front lines have been pleading for a benefits package. Not only would it help our current childcare workers, but it would help in retaining and recruiting more so we can create more accessible spaces.
“There are many solutions to addressing childcare, yet again we see this Furey Liberal government without a plan to address the influx from $10-a-day childcare. They continue to drag their feet on taking action so that workers are heard and feel respected. It’s just not good enough.”
-30-
For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media Relations Manager, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (c), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca