The NWT government has earmarked over $5.1 million to cover childcare for essential workers.

Covering a three month period, the money will be split over four initiatives aiming to lower childcare costs and lend a hand to service providers, a territorial government press release said on Friday.

The government aims for the money to relieve parents in healthcare and essential services pressured by isolation and physical distancing measures, Education, Culture and Employment Minister RJ Simpson said on Friday.

SA国际影视传媒淭he point is to provide what is needed at this time, whether itSA国际影视传媒檚 cleaning supplies, whether it's increased wages, whatever the case may be to ensure essential workers have access to childcare, given the circumstances,SA国际影视传媒� he told reporters on Friday.

The four planks of the funding are:

• A $1.9 million subsidy will aim to lower child care costs by a third for workers who are required to physically attend work.
• $1.3 million that will go toward a $1,000 per month wage top-up for child care staff, to ensure theySA国际影视传媒檙e SA国际影视传媒渁dequately resourced to provide child care services, especially during non-regular hours,SA国际影视传媒� a government news release said. 
• A $1.24-million subsidy will support early learning and child care programs that have closed due to COVID-19. This will help cover fixed costs like rent and utilities, allowing the provider to reopen when health risks are lower.
• A final $665,000 will go to child care providers to support extra supplies, protective equipment and labour required to meet heightened cleaning efforts.

The money comes as childcare service providers face a financial crunch stemming from COVID-19.

To assist them, the new support flowing in will differ depending on the program, with the department of education, culture and employment being in contact with each to determine exact funding.

Simpson told reporters the department had been in "constant contact" with the programs over the course of a crisis that forced many to close.

At one point 70 per cent of programs were closed, Simpson said. That numberSA国际影视传媒檚 down to half, with the largest programs open again, he added.

SA国际影视传媒淧art of the reason that theySA国际影视传媒檙e open is they wanted to help out the efforts. We know essential workers need childcare and that was part of it, but weSA国际影视传媒檝e also been in talks with them,SA国际影视传媒� he said, noting they requested assistance with covering supplies and other costs.

SA国际影视传媒淗opefully more do open up again. But I think that the ones are open now, this program, even though it was just announced today had an effect as well,SA国际影视传媒� Simpson said.  

After three months, however, the funding period for supports like cleaning supplies and labour will end. 

Simpson said his department, along with the department of health and service providers, was evaluating as it goes leading up to that time. 

SA国际影视传媒淚f it looks like in three months, the restrictions are being eased, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 an easy decision,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚f we need to extend or we need to change these programs, then weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to be flexible."

When combined with two relief packages GNWT rolled out in March, the new money brings the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 COVID-19 relief spending to about $26.5 million.

In a statement Friday, Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek described the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 pandemic response strategy as SA国际影视传媒渢argeted, responsive measures that have been deliberately designed to address the most pressing needs of our people.SA国际影视传媒�