Canada and Nunavut celebrate the new location and expansion of Iqaluit's only Inuktitut daycare

APEX, NU, Feb. 28, 2025 /CNW/ - Every child deserves the best start in life, wherever they live in Canada. Part of this means making sure families have access to high-quality, culturally relevant, affordable early learning and child care.

Today, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Honourable Jenna Sudds, joined Nunavut Premier the Honourable P.J. Akeeagok, and Nunavut's Minister of Education the Honourable Pamela Hakongak Gross to celebrate the official opening of the new location and expansion of Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik, Iqaluit's only Inuktitut daycare.

This project received $1.8 million in federal funding through the Canada-Nunavut Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. For 18 years, Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik has offered culture-based early learning and child care in Inuktitut, fostering a strong connection to Inuit culture and language. This new centre allows Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik to open 16 new early learning and child care spaces in their program.

Through its Canada-wide early learning and child care agreement, the Government of Nunavut has committed to creating 238 new licensed spaces by March 31, 2026. The expansion of Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik brings the total number of new spaces created to 178 since signing the Canada-wide agreement.

The programming offered by Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik is an example of early learning and child care that supports self-determination, reconciliation and cultural revitalization in alignment with the principles of the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework.

Building a Canada-wide system of early learning and child care that works for families in every region of the country is a key part of the Government of Canada's plan to make life more affordable for families and to support people to stay in places they love and grow their local economies. 

Quotes

"Children deserve to grow up proud of who they are and where they come from. Early learning and child care designed and delivered by Inuit communities ensures Inuit children, especially at the youngest ages, can learn and celebrate teachings that reflect their values, language and traditions."
–Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Honourable Jenna Sudds

"This daycare signals another important step towards reinvesting in education, one of the pillars in the Government of Nunavut's Katujjiluta mandate. Affordable, culturally grounded early childhood education in Inuktut is a game-changer—setting up children for success and providing parents and caregivers opportunities for advancement in training, post-secondary education and employment."
–Premier of Nunavut, the Honourable P.J. Akeeagok

"These crucial child care spaces enable more parents to go to school or work and provide additional support to their family. It also gives children the opportunity to learn Inuktitut and practice their culture. I'm proud of my staff and the child care workers who have made this expanded child care centre a reality."
–Minister of Education of Nunavut, the Honourable Pamela Gross

"YWCA Agvik is especially excited to partner with Tumikuluit as it is the only Inuktituk daycare in Iqaluit. Language holds values and determines how we view the world, so we see the importance of children being immersed in their language during these significant developmental years. We look forward to seeing what these children accomplish in the future."
–Sherri Robertson, Executive Director, YWCA Agvik

"Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik has overcome so many challenges in the last few years, but the commitment we see from staff and board members has secured the success of our daycare. More children mean more opportunities for us to shape and instill pride, starting from a young age. We are thankful for the opportunity to share our experiences and help more parents succeed in their careers and educational aspirations."
–Karen Flaherty, Chairperson, Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik

Quick facts

• As part of Budget 2021, the Government of Canada made a transformative investment of more than $27 billion over five years to build a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with provinces and territories. Combined with other investments, including investments in Indigenous early learning and child care, up to $30 billion over five years will be provided in support of early learning and child care.
• As part of the Canada-Nunavut Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, the Government of Canada is investing nearly $66 million over five years to help improve regulated early learning and child care for children under the age of 6 in the territory.
• As of February 2025, the federal government supported the creation of nearly 150,000 new $10-a-day child care spaces across Canada. It is on track to reach its goal of 250,000 new affordable spaces by March 2026, a 27% increase in the number of regulated spaces since 2021.

Associated links

Toward $10-a-day: Early Learning and Child Care
Canada-Nunavut Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement
Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Secretariat
Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework
Federal Secretariat on Early Learning and Child Care
Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework
Nunavut Early Learning and Childcare Infrastructure Funding Program

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

Contacts: For media enquiries, please contact: Geneviève Lemaire, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]