Excerpt: "The Manitoba government is increasing starting wages under Manitoba鈥檚 Early Learning and Child Care Wage Grid for the early childhood workforce in funded child-care facilities by $56.1 million effective July 1, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould and Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko announced today. 鈥淏y investing in early learning and child care, we鈥檙e investing in the future of our country,鈥 said Gould. 鈥淭his wage enhancement will help attract and retain the best early childhood educators and child-care assistants, who are the cornerstone of the Canada-wide early learning and child-care system." Under the Canada-Manitoba Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement 2021-2026, facilities will receive $52.8 million, through their existing operating grants that support early learning and child-care sector staff wages who care for children under the age of seven."