Over 500 new childcare spaces will be created at post-secondary institutions across Saskatchewan, thanks to a $10.8 million joint investment from the provincial and federal governments.

According to the province, 450 new childcare spaces will be created at Saskatchewan Polytechnic campuses in Regina, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, and Saskatoon. Northlands College in La Ronge will also be home to 90 additional childcare spaces.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic President and CEO Larry Rosia said this will eliminate one of the barriers that many of its students’ face.

“Who hasn’t heard stories about children on waitlists for months and even years awaiting space? Well, today’s announcement will reduce that stress and that worry for families across our province,” he said on Wednesday.

The 540 spaces are meant to provide on-campus childcare for students, faculty and staff, and will also act as training sites for students seeking a career in the field of early childhood education.

Saskatchewan Minister of Education Everett Hindley told CTV News that access to early learning and childcare for Saskatchewan’s parents is crucial, as the demand for these spaces continues to grow.

“It is critical, we’re working very hard as a provincial government to, wherever we can, expand and create more childcare spaces across this province, and this is a perfect fit,” he said.

According to the Government of Saskatchewan, since the launch of the Early Learning and Childcare Agreement in 2021, Saskatchewan has created over 23,000 spaces. This put them well on their way to reaching the goal of 28,000 new spaces by March of 2026.

When it comes to the provincial government reaching a deal with the federal government to extend the $10-a-day daycare agreement, progress is said to have been made.

“We think there’s an opportunity to make some changes there and that’s why we want to be able to sit down and have our provincial officials reach out to their federal government counterparts on a regular basis to say, ‘Let’s have that conversation,’” Hindley said.

“Negotiations are underway as the minister alluded to,” said Secretary of State (Rural Development) Buckley Belanger. “These discussions will continue over the next several months. And I can assure you by 2026, we will have a new agreement in place. I’m fairly confident of that.”

As part of the expansion, the province said the investment will reserve 30 per cent of the new spaces for families facing barriers to access, including children with disabilities.

The investment will be provided through the federal Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Infrastructure Fund and the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide ELCC Agreement.