January 30, 2026
Excerpt: "The ministers reviewed the progress achieved in all jurisdictions since 2021 to increase access and improve affordability of child care for families in Canada including initiatives under the initial set of Canada-wide agreements. Ministers also acknowledged the need to get this right for Canadian families, given the pressures facing families, providers and governments amid ongoing global economic disruption. Under this Canada-wide system partnership, all jurisdictions made substantial progress to improve child care affordability by reducing fees by at least 50% resulting in families saving thousands per child, per year, varying by jurisdiction. Furthermore, access to affordable child care allows more parents, particularly mothers, to participate in the labour force and achieve greater economic security. Thanks in part to the Canada-wide system, the participation of mothers with young children in the labour force reached a near record high in 2025."