Ottawa

A long-awaited deal has been signed between Ontario and federal government for subsidised childcare.  

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It has also paved the way for a nationwide plan. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has hailed the deal as a “historic moment”.  

On Monday, the prime minister, while unveiling the plan, pledged fees will eventually drop to C$10 a day by 2026.  

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The experts have also cautioned that the plan must be reckoned with the reality of staff shortages, huge demand for limited spaces and funding agreements.  

Trudeau and Doug Ford, premier, Ontario, which is most populous province of Canada, announced billions in funding for the province.  

It is part of a broader multibillion-dollar package. â€œChildcare is becoming a reality for all Canadians,” said Trudeau.  

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Ford is the last leader to sign the national childcare plan. Ontario has one of the highest childcare costs in the country.   

Sarah Kaplan, director, Institute for Gender and the Economy at the University of Toronto, told the Guardian, “It’s unfortunate that it took this long, because the longer it takes to make the agreements, the longer it’s going to take to implement. Families in Ontario have been missing out on the progress that could have been made.”  

(With inputs from agencies)