Not all early childhood educators are pleased with the announcement earlier this week about 10-dollar-a-day childcare. An early childhood educator in Yorkton says the Saskatchewan-Canada Child Care Agreement has had a negative impact on her and her peers.

Among their concerns, Michelle Jerg says, is that there is no money in the agreement for wage increases, benefits, and pensions for ECE’s, and costs of running a childcare centre has risen, and not all costs are covered by grants.

Jerg has lobbied the federal and provincial governments over the last two months and says it would be nice if their concerns can be addressed.

“You know it would be really nice if there wasn’t that uncertainty. That they could keep the funds coming, like the grants coming. We’re unsure if the grants will be pulled or if there will be grants coming.”

Michelle Jerg says on one hand, it’s great for parents, but on the other hand, the agreement has created a ripple effect: private daycare homes closing due to not being able to compete with licenced centres, and struggles to recruit and retain staff.

CJGX