NDP critic calls on government to introduce national childcare program to boost economy

The NDP critic for Youth, Women and Gender Equality, MP Lindsay Mathyssen (London-Fanshawe), is calling on the government to introduce a national childcare program which would boost Canada’s workforce and economy.

“New research published by the Centre for Future Work today shows that a national childcare program would have a vastly positive impact on Canada’s economy. In a time where our economy is suffering, a universal program would be a lifesaver, not only for parents looking for reliable and affordable child care, but to Canadians everywhere who will see the positive economic impacts.” said MP Lindsay Mathyssen.

In a new report published by the Centre for Future Work, they found that a universal national early learning and child care (ELCC) program would create thousands of jobs in the child care sector and would also allow more parents, especially women, to join the workforce. According to the Centre for Future Work up to 725,000 women could be added to the country’s labour force as a result of a new national child care program.

The Liberals have been promising child care for twenty years -- kids who needed it twenty years ago, are now looking for accessible child care for their own kids. This summer, when the Liberals had the opportunity to invest in child care with their transfer to provinces, they refused to do what was needed.

“The figures from this research are undeniable. A national program would increase the national GDP by $63-107 billion each year. There is no reason why the government should continue to deny Canadians this incredible support. This is a necessary step in the economic recovery needed as a result of this pandemic.” added Mathyssen. “Just like their approach to Pharmacare, the Liberals are happy to have parents get by with a patchwork child care system rather than a universal one.

In August, New Democrats passed a motion in the House of Commons that called on the Liberal government to immediately invest $2 billion to stabilize the child care sector. They still haven’t delivered. We have also been pushing for the government to work with the provinces, territories, and Indigenous governments to create 500,000 new affordable licensed child care spaces and to bring in legislation to enshrine the commitment to quality, affordable publicly funded child care into law, and set out the principles, conditions, and requirements for federal transfer payments to provinces (like in the Canada Health Act).

“New Democrats are fighting for your family and the help they need for safe, accessible and affordable child care. We will continue to push the Liberal government to put a national childcare program into place.”