QUEBEC CITY -- The Government of Quebec is allocating $50 million in additional assistance to early childhood centres (CPEs), subsidized daycares and family childcare providers to help them absorb expenses related to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement released Friday, Minister of Families Mathieu Lacombe said the aid will help ensure the health and safety of toddlers and staff as child care providers are subject to strict recommendations resulting in additional expenses, particularly related to cleaning and disinfection activities.
Lacombe said that the measures in place for several months have helped to reduce the risk of contamination. He reports that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been fewer than 500 cases across the child care network.
Additional financial assistance will be offered in the form of an allowance. Funding arrangements have not been disclosed but the government said they will be announced shortly.
-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2020.
