08/25/2025
We take the wins we are given because they give us the energy we need to battle for the ones we have to win.
*Pic for attention*
And for context. With another kid coming, I (Jason Piercey The Ask Jason Show) am thinking about these things.
$10/Day Child Care: Where We’re At, and What Just Changed
Child care is infrastructure, not babysitting. We’ve made big strides, but we’re still climbing the hill. Albeit, there have been wins.
$10/day child care is real. More than 11,200 spaces are already open across the province. Families are saving hundreds every month. That's legit, and it has magnitude.
More spaces on the way too. About 1,600+ new spots are in development. Some will open soon; others are still on paper.
Waitlists are still here, but easier to navigate. The new Early Learning Gateway gives parents a single place to search, apply, and track. Instead of relying on rumours and poor googling efforts.
However, those waitlists are still long. And a “space in development” doesn’t help if you need care tomorrow.
Educators are stretched way too thin. We need about 1,000 more Early Childhood Educators by 2026, but many are leaving the field because wages and benefits don’t match the importance of their work. Plus, not every NL family benefits equally. Most projects are landing in St. John’s or Central. So, if you’re around the bay, it can feel like you’re waiting forever.
There was good news today though!
25 new projects in Avalon & Central, bringing 574 more spaces.
A new Pre-K at St. Matthew’s in St. John’s with 20 $10/day spots.
A new award for excellence in Early Childhood Education to recognize the people holding this system together.
And Federal funding got locked in until 2031, which means stability for families and providers.
Obviously this doesn’t fix everything. Waitlists will still test your patience. ECEs still need better pay and support. And families around the bay still deserve more options.
But 574 new spots means 574 families will finally get that phone call. And an award might just be an award, but it means educators get recognition they’ve earned a hundred times over. And long-term funding means the foundation is here to build on.
It’s not the finish line. But it’s forward momentum. And that’s something worth talking about. So go us!