Moving Forward: Governments of Canada and Ontario sign an agreement on Early Learning and Child Care

HAMILTON, ONTARIO—Prime Minister Paul Martin, along with Social Development Minister Ken Dryden and Dr. Marie Bountrogianni, Ontario's Minister of Children and Youth Services, announced today an historic Agreement in Principle that further supports the development of quality early learning and child care (ELCC) for young children and their families in Ontario.

"For years, Canadian parents, child care organizations, and governments have been working together to strengthen child care in Canada. This Agreement in Principle between Canada and Ontario—our most populous province—builds upon those efforts and moves our country significantly closer to fulfilling a shared vision for early learning and child care," said Prime Minister Paul Martin. "Decades ago, it was a series of such agreements that led to the creation of Medicare in Canada—a program that now helps to define us as Canadians."

This announcement follows the Government of Canada's February 2005 budget commitment to invest $5 billion over five years to enhance and expand high-quality developmental early learning and child care in collaboration with provinces and territories.

As announced in previous federal-provincial-territorial meetings on ELCC, this initiative will be guided by the QUAD principles: quality, universal inclusiveness, accessibility, and development.

"If Ontario is to be a leader in science and commerce and culture tomorrow, we need to be a leader in early child development today," said Minister Bountrogianni. "With this agreement we are moving forward with our plan to provide young children with the best possible start in life, and to help parents balance the demands of work and family."

"Because we have entered into this agreement in principle, Ontario's children have a future that is brighter than ever," said Minister Dryden. "We are working to develop an ambitious, high-quality, developmental-based system of early learning and child care in every province and territory in this country. Over the coming weeks, I hope that we will conclude Agreements in Principle with other provincial and territorial governments."

Over the next five years, with financial support from the Government of Canada, Ontario will carry out its vision to strengthen its early learning and child care system. The province's Best Start Plan involves a massive expansion of quality and affordable child care and investments in every child's healthy early development—all in a convenient and easily accessible location for parents. Ontario will develop and release a preliminary action plan on early learning and child care by June 30, 2005. Canada and Ontario will also work together to conclude a detailed multi-year funding agreement by that date.

The Agreement in Principle sets out a long-term vision, principles, and goals to guide the development of regulated early learning and child care for children under six. It also outlines specific objectives that the Government of Ontario will pursue over the next five years and how that Government will be accountable to Ontarians. Also, the governments of Canada and Ontario will work with other provinces and territories to develop knowledge and information that will contribute to more effective early learning and child care programming. As part of this Agreement in Principle, the Government of Canada will work with Ontario and other interested provincial and territorial governments to develop a National Quality Framework that will guide the development of early learning and child care programming across Canada.

Ontario will continue to report publicly on early learning and child care, so that Ontarians can track progress.

The Government of Canada recently signed similar Early Learning and Child Care Agreements in Principle with Manitoba and Saskatchewan and expects to put similar agreements in place with the remaining provinces and territories over the coming weeks.

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The Agreement in Principle is accessible at the following site: http://www.sdc.gc.ca/en/cs/comm/sd/news/agreements_principle/PCO_Ontario_e.pdf

For more information:

Sarah Bain
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Social Development
(613) 941-0766

Andrew Weir
Minister Bountrogianni's Office
(416) 212-7159

Anne Machowski-Smith
Ministry of Children and Youth Services
(416) 325-5156

Media Relations
Social Development Canada
(613) 941-1110
Web site: www.sdc.gc.ca