The federal and Saskatchewan governments have reached a deal to extend the province’s $10-a-day child-care agreement for another five years, beginning in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The announcement was made at the YMCA in Regina Thursday by Saskatchewan Education Minister Everett Hindley and Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development.
Regina YMCA CEO Steve Compton said he welcomes it.
“We are committed to high-quality, accessible and inclusive childcare,” Compton said at the announcement.
A Saskatoon daycare owner said the announcement is a relief for families and operators.
“It’s very exciting news,” said Gurmeet Dhindsad, who runs Sweet Second Home daycare in Saskatoon.
“Parents are getting relief, and we are also getting relief. Without this, parents with two or three kids could not afford $2,000 or $3,000 in fees, and we would lose business.”
Belanger said more than 23,000 new child-care spaces have been announced in Saskatchewan since 2021.
“For too many families, access to child care has been a major barrier,” he said. “Each new space means more families have a choice in how they balance work, school and home life.”
The agreement continues joint federal-provincial funding to reduce the cost of regulated child care and increase access to licensed spaces across Saskatchewan.
“If you can’t find the space or if the fees are as high as a second rent or mortgage payment, then parents, especially moms, end up having to make the impossible choices,” Hindley said.
The extension includes a five-year renewal of the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, and the bilateral agreement, starting in 2026-27.
It also includes a one-year extension of the Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund, through 2026-27.
The deal expands the age eligibility so children who turn six while attending kindergarten can continue to receive $10-a-day care until the school year.
The deal includes a federal commitment of $1.6 billion over multiple years, with a three-per-cent annual increase in base funding starting in 2027-28.
The province said it’s committed to attracting, retaining and growing a strong and skilled workforce of early childhood education professionals. From April 2021 to September 2025, over $171 million has gone toward wage enhancements, training and professional development, according to a news release.
That includes wage supplements of up to $8.85 per hour for certified early childhood educators, tuition-free training programs, grants and bursaries aimed at recruitment and retention.
