With the 2019 federal election campaign reaching the mid-way point, federal leaders in each party have made several promises designed to make families’ lives easier.
On Monday, it would spend $10 billion over the next four years for 500,000 new child-care spaces in Canada, while pledging to make these facilities either free or $10 per day by 2030.
The NDP had previously announced it would enshrine in law a parent’s right to “high-quality” public child care.
Here’s what the other parties have planned when it comes to childcare:
LIBERALS
The Liberals have previously announced an intention to for Canadian children and lower the price of these services by 10 per cent, which they say would amount to $800 in savings per year for a family of four in Ontario.
They also plan to expand the Canada Child Benefit -- which the government introduced in 2016 -- by 15 per cent for families with a child under the age of one, amounting to $1,000 per child.
The party also pledges a national paid family leavesystem for parents of a newborn, including 15 weeks of paid leave for families who adopt a child. The leave would also be exempt from taxes at the source, meaning a parent’s EI cheque would not have any federal taxes taken off.
CONSERVATIVES
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said he , which would eliminate the federal income tax on parental leave benefits through a non-refundable tax credit.
The Conservatives would also allow Canadians to claim a 15 per cent tax benefit on up to $1,000 per child for expenses related to fitness or sporting activities and up to $500 for expenses related to arts and learning.
GREEN PARTY
to work with the provinces and territories, as well as with community leaders to develop a plan for affordable and universal child care.
The party would increase the funding to child care by $1 billion each year until it reaches one per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product.
The party would also eliminate any GST on construction costs related to child-care facilities. They are also pushing for these facilities to be built near workplaces and transportation hubs as a way of limiting transportation emissions.
PEOPLE’S PARTY OF CANDA
The People’s Party of Canada has not released a plan for child care. In an email to CTVNews.ca, a party spokesperson called child care a “provincial issue” and added the PPC would not fund any national program for child care.
BLOC QUEBECOIS
the Canada Child Benefit to become tax-free and want $190 million to compensate families in Quebec for child-care expenses.
