WINNIPEG — A Liberal government would start a fund to open up more early learning and child-care spaces across Canada.
The Liberals say they would start with a $500-million investment in the first year, rising to $1 billion by the fourth year.
Provinces and territories would be able to apply to the fund to help pay for their own child care and early learning plans and to open up more spots for kids.
It would also help provinces and territories hire more teachers.
The fund would not replace the $100-a-month Universal Childcare Benefit.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff made the announcement today at a Winnipeg pre-school.
The Liberals insist they can pay for the plan by making "better choices," but officials couldn't give any specifics.
Ignatieff says the money would address what he calls a severe shortage of child care across the country, but could not say how many spaces the money would create.
He says the number would depend on how provincial governments would use it.
In the 2008 election campaign, then-Liberal leader Stephane Dion promised $1.2 billion a year for child care.
