Fifty-one per cent of Saskatchewan children live in what the CCPA calls a childcare desert – a region where there are fewer than three childcare spaces for every ten children — the worst such rates among the provinces. Only eight per cent of Saskatchewan children live in regions that meet or exceed the federal target of 5.9 spaces per 10 children.
In Yorkton, there are only 2.7 spaces available for every 10 children.
“The Sask. Party deserves a big F for failing the people of Saskatchewan on this important issue,” said Joan Pratchler, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Childcare and Early Learning.
“First, they failed to get a new deal, and now they’re failing to open up enough childcare spaces. I know of a lot of angry moms and dads that would like to give Minister Hindley a firm talking-to.”
In an additional supplementary report on the state of childcare in Saskatchewan released late yesterday, the CCPA says that “Saskatchewan is far behind when it comes to childcare availability,” promising to create 22,767 new childcare spaces by 2024-2025 but only delivering on 5,648.
“Moms and dads can’t go to work in the hospital or out in the field if there’s no one there to watch the kids,” said Pratchler. “We can’t have a bright future and a strong economy in our province if we don’t have childcare.”
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