Statement by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development on International Day of Families

GATINEAU, QC, May 15, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, issued the following statement:

"Family is at the heart of our society. When families are strong, so are our communities. That is why making life more affordable for families in Canada is front and centre of the Government of Canada's plan to grow the economy.

Today, on the International Day of Families, I would like to highlight the important work the Government of Canada is doing to make sure all families in Canada have the support they need, no matter where they live.

Since 2016, the Canada Child Benefit has played a key role in reducing the number of children living in poverty and continues to be central to our efforts to reduce poverty by 50% by 2030, relative to 2015 levels. The Canada Child Benefit is tax-free and based on income to provide more support to families who need it most. The benefit is also indexed every July to keep pace with the cost of living.

We know that child care is not a luxury, but a necessity for parents from coast to coast to coast. For families with young children, we are building a transformational Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system in collaboration with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners. Access to high-quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive child care gives our children the best possible start in life, and enables parents to work, creating a solid economic foundation for families across the country well into the future.

It is already making a real difference. By the end of 2022, regulated child care fees will be reduced by an average of 50 per cent, saving families thousands of dollars. With nearly all provinces and territories already seeing reductions in child care fees, the Government of Canada's goal is that all families in Canada, no matter where they live, have access to regulated early learning and child care for an average of $10-a-day by March 2026. This means savings for hundreds of thousands of families to keep up with the cost of living.

With such initiatives, we continue to help deliver a better quality of life for families across Canada.

As Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, I want to wish you a happy International Day of Families, from my family to yours."

Associated Links

Toward $10-a-Day: Early Learning and Child Care 
Family and caregiving benefits
Canada Child Benefit

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada