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March 28, 2025

Increase in Funding to Licensed Centre-Based Early Learning and Child Care Sector

Excerpt: " The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) implemented today an increase of $3.5 million in Dedicated Wage Funding and a permanent increase of $664,000 in Flexible Funding to support the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Sector. The Dedicated Wage Funding is intended to increase wages to early childhood educators working in licensed centre-based early learning and child care facilities. This funding represents a significant increase to the wage grid and increases the minimum that all early childhood educators in centre-based facilities must be paid by approximately $9/hour."
March 26, 2025

Improving food safety in Alberta

Excerpt: "In response to the devastating outbreak, Alberta’s government established an external review panel to identify ways to strengthen food safety legislation and inspection processes in kitchens servicing licensed child-care facilities. The review panel submitted its final report in the summer of 2024, outlining 12 main recommendations and 27 sub-recommendations. Immediate action was taken to begin to address key recommendations, including establishing clear expectations and a framework for public health inspections. Now, Alberta’s government is taking further steps to strengthen food safety in licensed child-care facilities. Starting March 26, Albertans are invited to participate in an online survey to help inform the implementation of the review panel’s recommendations and Alberta’s public health legislation, regulations, and policies related to food safety."
March 24, 2025

Investments will boost child care for families

Excerpt: "More than $62 million is being invested to create more than 750 new licensed child care spaces throughout B.C. through the accelerated space-creation programs. Once operational, these spaces will be eligible for the government’s fee reduction program, ensuring affordability for families. "As Langford continues to grow, ensuring affordable and high-quality child care spaces for families in our community remains a top priority,” said Scott Goodmanson, mayor of Langford. “We are grateful for the support from both the provincial and federal governments in addressing this need and helping us move forward. Partnerships like these are essential for achieving our shared goals.” Additionally, between March 1 and April 1, 2025, families will benefit from 770 new $10-a-day spaces at 22 child care centres throughout B.C., including in Surrey, Parksville and Williams Lake."
March 24, 2025

Government of Yukon shares its 2025 progress report to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Excerpt: "The progress report highlights the Department of Education's dedication to meaningful systemic changes designed to improve student outcomes. Since 2019, the Department of Education has launched several initiatives to address the gaps in the Yukon’s education system and to improve student outcomes. These include: launching the Universal Child Care model; launching enhanced early kindergarten and full day kindergarten in most rural communities; working with the Chiefs Committee on Education to establish the First Nation School Board; finalizing a Collaboration Framework with Yukon First Nations; completing the Review of Inclusive and Special Education; advancing the Reimagining Inclusive and Special Education (RISE) work plan, which was developed with partners; developing a Comprehensive Mental Health and Wellness Approach that aligns with the Yukon’s Forward Together: Mental Wellness Strategy; launching the Ready-to-Learn Schools initiative; creating a data sharing agreement with Yukon First Nations and releasing publicly available student data reports; and initiating work and engagement on an Integrated Outcome for Yukon Learner Strategy, which will look at root causes of poor student outcomes, develop targets and evaluate progress on closing gaps."
March 20, 2025

Budget 2025 - Building One Manitoba

Excerpt: "Education and Early Childhood Learning reflects an increase of $247 million from the prior year budget, largely due to negotiating fair deals with educators and adding 630 more educators to the schools, increasing operating funding for schools by nearly five per cent to address growing enrolment, increased classroom
needs, a universal food program to help Manitoba kids learn, as well as a continued commitment to extending
the $10-a-day child care program to school-aged children on non-school days."
March 19, 2025

New Sectoral Table will advise how government can better support the care economy

Excerpt: "The Sectoral Table on the Care Economy builds on the Government of Canada’s historic investments to strengthen social infrastructure. These investments have included transformative improvements in early learning and child care, improved tax support for caregivers through the Canada caregiver credit, and improved access to long-term care and other continuing care services through the Aging with Dignity agreements signed with each province and territory."