Space Creation

Manitoba is committed to improving access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care across the province. Manitoba’s Action Plan under the Canada-Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement provides capital funding for the development and expansion of child care centres to increase access to licensed child care. Under the agreement, Manitoba is targeting the development of 23,000 new full-time child care spaces by 2026, with dedicated grant funding to support the creation of 5,890 new child care spaces through capital projects.

As of November 2025, Manitoba is 50 per cent of the way in meeting our shared goal of 23,000 new child care spaces for children under seven, with over 5,400 spaces opened and more than 6,100 committed spaces for a total of over 11,500 new spaces for children ages 0 to 6, with thousands more on the way. Through provincial investment, over 4,450 school age spaces have opened and almost 900 school age spaces have been committed. In total, over 9,850 spaces have opened and more than 7,000 spaces committed for a total of over 16,850 spaces for children twelve and under throughout Manitoba.

Learn more about current programs, projects and financial incentives available to support the creation of new or expanded licensed child care spaces throughout Manitoba:

• Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Building Fund – Ongoing intake
  Provides capital grant funding for 60 per cent of total eligible project costs that support the development of community-based child care spaces by creating new or expanding existing non-profit child care centres.
• Child Care Renovation Expansion Grant
  Provides capital funding to existing non-profit child care centres to increase licensed space capacity for infant and preschool spaces.
• School-Based Child Care Centre Expansion Project
  Provides capital grant funding to School Divisions to develop or expand on-site child care programming including infant, preschool and school-age spaces.
• Child Care Centres in Schools Policy
  Requires purpose-built child care centres as part of the construction of all new schools, and those undergoing major renovation.
• Post-Secondary Child Care Expansion Project
  Provides capital grant funding to post-secondary institutions to develop or expand on-site child care including infant, preschool and school age spaces as well as construct new Learning Labs to support hands-on and innovative delivery of Early Childhood Education programs.
• Health and Child Care Infrastructure Project
  Provides capital funding to health authorities and non-profit child care operators to create new child care centres in health care facilities across the province.
• Municipalities and Indigenous Governing Bodies Child Care Initiative
  Provides capital grant funding to increase the number of new child care spaces for children ages 0 to 6 in areas of demonstrated need in partnership with municipalities and Indigenous governing bodies.
• Child Care Centre Development Tax Credit Program – Ongoing intake
  Provides a tax credit of $10K over five years for private corporations who invest in the creation of new child care spaces to support their employees and the surrounding community.
• Non-Capital Space Expansion – Ongoing intake
  Provides operating and start-up grant funding for homes and non-profit centres to open or expand without capital funding.