Changing child care in Manitoba

The Child Care Coalition of Manitoba has produced the first-ever economic and social impact studies of childcare across our province. The 2007 research reports quantify the impressive economic and social impacts of childcare in rural, northern and franco-manitoban communities; our earlier 2004 report focussed on Winnipeg. The research demonstrates every $1 invested in childcare generates $1.58 of local economic activity. Childcare is a strong job creator: every 2.0 full-time childcare jobs supports another full-time job. Childcare is a green and sustainable industry, which enables parent earnings and facilitates women’s employment, while also providing children with early learning and care that supports their development.

Rural childcare is the focus of the Parkland report; northern and Aboriginal childcare is the focus of the Thompson report, and in the bilingual St-Pierre-Jolys report we examine how childcare further contributes to franco-manitoban language development. The reports were launched in April 2007. An advisory council of leading stakeholders was established in each research site, and included business leaders, elected officials, educators, child and family representatives, parents, women’s groups and labour among others. This project was supported by Status of Women Canada, Women’s Program.

Project pages

Media coverage

We’ve had positive media coverage of our work, which the Rural Team has also summarized.

Rural Team Women’s Working Group: “Rural and Northern Childcare: A Summary of Economic and Social Evidence from Manitoba” (2008)
AMM Municipal Leader: “Rural Childcare” (Spring 2008)
Community Futures Newsletter: Childcare’s Economic Impact” (Summer 2009)
Manitoba Cooperator “Child-Care Programs Benefit Local Economies” (June 19, 2008)