Mr. Speaker, balancing work, family and finances is a tricky business. That is why we have implemented a solid plan to help families. The Government of Canada offers a wide range of supports to help Canadians.
Let us start with young families.
Since 2021, the Government of Canada has announced over $70 billion in funding for the provinces and territories to create and maintain an affordable, inclusive, high-quality early learning and child care system across the country. As a result, the families of approximately 9,000 children nationwide will have access to affordable child care, saving them thousands of dollars every year. All of the provinces and territories have made amazing progress in making child care more affordable. More parents are now able to access affordable child care, which means they no longer have to choose between their careers and their desire to grow their family.
What is more, in 2025, the labour force participation rate of mothers aged 24 to 54 with young children reached an almost record high of over 79.5%. The Canada-wide child care system has helped parents enter and remain in the workforce, while giving their children a good start in life.
The national school food program is another example of a measure that we have taken to support children and families and to reduce food insecurity. Budget 2024 allocated $1 billion in federal funding over five years to improve and expand school food programs across the country and provide meals to thousands of children nationwide to help them learn better.
Furthermore, the program has become permanent thanks to the National School Food Program Act, which had been announced in budget 2025. New investments have also been made in various research partners to ensure the success of school food programs. Improving and expanding access to the program will enable up to 400,000 students to participate, improving their health and helping them reach their full learning potential. Families with two children who participate in the national school food program can save up to $800 a year on their grocery bills.
These are real actions that Canadians expect.
In his question, the member opposite also talked about parental leave. Over the years, we have implemented meaningful and essential measures to modernize maternity benefits and provide more flexibility with respect to EI. In particular, benefits begin earlier, as early as the 12th week of pregnancy.
We have made great strides to make life more affordable and to improve the lives of Canadians. Canadians know that our government is committed to investing in Canadians and our economy as a whole. We will continue to do so every day and, of course, the next budget will once again be a fine example of how we are working for Canadians.