Thousands of new childcare centres will be popping up in the province thanks to provincial and federal funding, as part of the shared goal to create 28,000 new spaces by the end of March 2026.

The $28.9 million in funding for these centres is through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement 2021-26, signed in August of last year which is set provide $1.1 billion over five years for childcare in Saskatchewan.

In a written release from the province, Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould said, "We know that a strong early learning and childcare system will drive economic growth, increase women’s participation in the workforce and offer each child in Canada the best start in life. These additional licensed childcare spaces will allow more children and families across the province to access high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and childcare."

A total of 2,197 spaces are newly funded, 1,599 of which have been allocated to specific organizations who can either build new facilities or add new spaces within their existing ones.  The other 598 will be issued to organizations later in the year through an application process.

"Today our government is pleased to announce a significant expansion in regulated childcare, which is so important to Saskatchewan families," Minister of Education Dustin Duncan stated in the release issued this morning. "In our growing province, we are providing funding for nearly 2,200 more children to attend regulated childcare, which provides high quality early learning, play and exploration environments for our youngest learners." 

Centres in the southwest that will see funding include Swift Current, Maple Creek, and Shaunavon.

Swift Current's Natural Wonders Early Learning Centre is set to have an additional site, Maple Creek should receive funding to get a new Child Care Cooperative development, and Shaunavon's Children’s Learning Centre Cooperative LTD is expecting an expansion.

The Ministry of Education is encouraging all interested communities and organizations to reach out to learning.inquiry@gov.sk.ca and apply for funding.