Let's rethink childcare

Children and families in Canada have a right to access quality, affordable childcare services. Yet, only 20% of young children today have access to a regulated space and, in many regions, childcare fees are the second highest expense for young families.

A group of Canadian unions, including PSI affiliates CUPE, NUPGE and PSAC, and childcare advocates representing more than three million working people across Canada know that too many families are struggling to find decent childcare and are scrambling to piece together care they can afford. It doesn’t have to be this way. This campaign is a result of this enthusiastic group's efforts.

Early childhood educators (ECE’s) also have a right to be socially valued and properly paid for their work, yet ECE professionals earn about half as much, on average, as other college-trained workers. From grandparents to economists, working parents to student parents, health care professionals to social workers, early childhood educators to university professors – and so many others – everyone has a child care story.