Saskatchewan Denies Child Care Operator Licenses Amid Parent Shortages

Potential child care operators in Saskatchewan are facing denials for their license applications, exacerbating the already challenging task for parents trying to find available spaces. This situation arises as the province nears its goal of creating 28,000 child care spaces.

Kinza Nissar, an applicant who previously operated a licensed daycare, expressed frustration after her family's January application was denied. "I was very mad and a little sad because we have been running a licensed daycare for like a year and we had invested a lot of money and time and effort into it," Nissar stated. She noted that 10 families who had enrolled their children had to be informed of the closure.

The Ministry of Education explained that applications are not being rejected but are instead being held to evaluate the specific needs within different communities. The province is shifting its focus from rapid expansion to stabilization, aiming to ensure childcare availability, particularly in rural areas.

“

I was very mad and a little sad because we have been running a licensed daycare for like a year and we had invested a lot of money and time and effort into it.

However, the opposition party contends that the government is unnecessarily turning away willing providers. Matt Love, Opposition education critic, stated, "This is hard work. No one is getting rich off of providing child care to families who need it. And we have people willing to do that work and the government is saying, ‘No thanks, we don’t need your help.’ We’re not in a position to be turning away people."

As of May 31st, the Ministry of Education reported being close to achieving its target of 28,000 child care spaces. The province's stated strategy involves assessing community needs before approving new licenses, a process that has led to the current backlog and denials for some applicants.

“

This is hard work. No one is getting rich off of providing child care to families who need it. And we have people willing to do that work and the government is saying, ‘No thanks, we don’t need your help.’ We’re not in a position to be turning away people.