PROVINCE BOOSTS NUMBER OF CHILD CARE SPACES IN PRINCE ALBERT

Released on May 23, 2003

The Government of Saskatchewan is boosting the number of child care spaces available in Prince Albert this year by 48 spaces as part of the province's Child Care Saskatchewan initiative. Eighteen new spaces go to the Family Futures Inc. and 30 new spaces go to the Prince Albert Grand Council as part of a new child care centre. This increases the total number of licensed child care centre spaces in Prince Albert to 515.

Across the province, the government is spending $1.8 million to create 500 newly funded child care spaces this year as the first step of the plan that will create 1200 new ones during the next four years.

"The new child care spaces increase families' access to quality and affordable child care while they go to school or work," Community Resources and Employment Minister Glenn Hagel said while attending an event held at the Prince Albert Inn.

"Child Care Saskatchewan helps our children get a good start in life and ensures a future that is wide open to opportunity," Hagel added. "A future that is wide open to anyone prepared to dream big, plan well and work hard."

Child Care Saskatchewan is a $3 million dollar program with $2.2 million coming from the Government of Saskatchewan and $800,000 in funding from the Government of Canada. Other initiatives supported by the program include $1 million in funding to increase child care subsidies by $20 per month and a $200,000 increase in Early Childhood Services grant funding to address wage and human resource requirements in licensed child care facilities.

The Government of Saskatchewan is spending $22 million this year to support approximately 7,900 child care spaces in Saskatchewan.

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For More Information, Contact:

Herman Hulshof Community Resources and Employment Regina Phone: (306)787-0916 Email: hhulshof@dcre.gov.sk.ca Cell: (306)536-1479