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OISE alumni Drs. Cindy Sincliar and Ahmed Ilmi were each recently recognized with one of 17 awards, presented by the University of Toronto African Alumni Association during the seventh annual GOWN: African Scholars Awards. The initiative is founded and led by another alum, and current PhD candidate, Henry Ssasli.

Excerpt: "Penticton children and their families are benefiting from 34 new before- and after-school child care spaces at the Leapin Lizard’s Daycare Centre located on the grounds of Columbia Elementary school. “Finding access to affordable, quality and inclusive child care can be extremely stressful for families,” said Mitzi Dean, Minister of State for Child Care. “Investments like these are life-changing for everyone. These new child care spaces will serve the Penticton community well and our government looks forward to creating more positive changes for families in the coming months and years.” The Province partnered with Okanagan Skaha School District (SD67) to build the additional child care spaces with approximately $2.25 million from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund. The funding supported the building, as well as the purchase of accessible playground equipment."

Excerpt: "Every child deserves the best start in life. That’s why, today in Montreal, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport and Quebec lieutenant, and the Honourable Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced $123 million over four years, with $82 million through 2025-2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across Quebec through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help Quebec reach the shared goal of building 30,000 new child care spaces by 2026. The funding announced today builds on previous investments made under the asymmetrical agreement between the governments of Canada and Quebec on early learning and child care. Funding from the Government of Canada will enable Quebec to support its priorities in terms of early childhood education and care, and measures to improve inclusiveness."

Excerpt: "But more families need access to affordable child care. That’s why, today in Whitehorse, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, joined the Honourable Jeanie McLean, Yukon’s Minister of Education and Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, to announce $10.5 million over four years, with $7.7 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across the Yukon through the Government of Canada’s $625-million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. The Yukon has already far exceeded the shared goal of building 110 new child care spaces by 2026, and this investment will further help the territory. Through this Fund, all provinces and territories will be able to make further investments in child care, so more families can save up to $14,300 on child care every year, per child. These investments will aim to support families in rural and remote communities, as well as families in communities that face barriers to access, such as racialized groups, Indigenous Peoples, newcomers, official language minority communities, and children, parents and employees with disabilities. Funding may also be used to support infrastructure to provide care during non-standard hours."

Excerpt: "Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) will add more spaces to its child study centre in Halifax and expand the age groups it serves with funding support from the provincial and federal governments. This will help meet the need for child care in the community and enhance the education and professional development of aspiring early childhood educators in the university’s child and youth study program, while offering research opportunities in the field. “We are pleased to support the expansion of MSVU’s child-care facility. Families need greater access to reliable and affordable child care, and we need more professionals to provide that care,” said Becky Druhan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “We’re proud of the work MSVU is doing to help meet the needs of families in the community.” The larger facility will add an additional 82 spaces and introduce up to 32 infant spaces. Parents who are on the existing wait list will be given priority."

A research collaboration with OISE, University of Manitoba, Lakehead University, and Simon Fraser University will present their findings publicly on May 13th.

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Excerpt: "The Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) plan is designed to create more affordable and accessible spaces for children under the age of 6 years. Expansion, however, needs to be anchored by a professional workforce. Establishing professionalism is difficult in a sector where educators are paid less relative to workers with similar qualifications or doing similar work. A new report by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) reveals the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the child care workforce. The number of quarterly job vacancies for ECEs had increased by 100 per cent. And while wages for most other sectors have increased post-pandemic, ECE earnings remain stagnant. Addressing recruitment and retention challenges is essential to building sector capacity and supporting quality care and learning environments for young children."

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

On May 6th, 2024, UNISA conferred the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Education on Professor George Sefa Dei in recognition of the national and international impact of his scholarly pursuits, within and beyond the realm of academia, and his lifelong quest for answers to global educational challenges.

Excerpt: "Manitoba’s early learning and child-care wage grid sets recommended starting-point and target wages for various positions within the early learning and child-care sector. The province provides facilities with a wage grid supplement. This additional funding helps facilities increase wages to meet the wage grid levels. Funding for wages in 2024-25 will increase by 2.75 per cent beginning July 1 for a total additional funding contribution of $10.9 million: $10.3 million from the government of Canada and $600,000 from the Manitoba government."