Families minister introduces bill to shore-up Ottawa's role in national child-care system

Families Minister Karina Gould is expected to introduce legislation today to strengthen child care in Canada, which is likely to include an effort to secure a long-term role for Ottawa in the new national daycare system.

Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould introduced a new bill on Thursday, aimed at shoring-up the federal government's role in protecting the early learning and child-care system across the country.

Bringing in federal child-care legislation to strengthen the Canada-wide system was something Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tasked Gould with doing now that the Liberals have brought in a national affordable child-care plan.

Following through on tabling this bill before the end of 2022 was a requirement under the Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence agreement made earlier this year. That deal, meant to keep the minority Liberals in power through to 2025 saw the federal government vow to ensure that the child-care agreements "have long-term protected funding" and deliver "high quality, affordable" options for families.

The details of the newly-tabled legislation— Bill C-35, "An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada"— are being outlined now by officials from the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada.

At 11 a.m. ET Gould will make an announcement on how the Liberals plan to cement a role for Ottawa in the national daycare system and try to protect elements such as creating more spaces that the provinces and territories agreed to through their funding agreements.

More to come…