Employment and Social Development Canada
New Funds Boost Francophone Child Care Programs
The early years of life are critical to the development and future well-being of children. High-quality, inclusive early learning and child care programs for children in official language minority communities help them build a strong sense of identity, while enabling parents and families to participate in their culture.
Today, Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, along with Mona Fortier, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, on behalf of the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced over $60 million in funding for two initiatives that support early learning and child care initiatives in Francophone minority communities.
The Commission nationale des parents francophones (CNPF) is receiving $47.7 million in new funding to create a network of early learning and child care stakeholders that will support cross-sectoral coordination in the implementation of specific initiatives for Francophone minority communities across Canada. Through partnerships, the network will provide funding for the implementation of specific initiatives that will improve access to quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care services and programs for children and families in Francophone minority communities, while helping to build Francophone cultural identity and supporting the French-speaking workforce in the sector.
The Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne (ACUFC) is receiving $16.3 million to expand and continue the development of initial, continuous and specialized training programs for early childhood educators in Francophone minority communities. The ACUFC will fund initiatives that aim to address challenges facing the early childhood sector, strengthen the skills of early childhood educators and promote the profession while supporting access to high quality child care for children and their families in Francophone minority communities.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with experts, communities and provinces and territories to ensure early learning and child care is fully inclusive of the needs of all children, including children in official language minority communities.
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2025/03/new-funding-for-early-learning-and-child-care-initiatives-in-francophone-minority-communities.html