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Excerpt: "It will enhance school breakfast programming for all 373 schools across the province, which is currently serving approximately 52,000 kids this school year. With this agreement, families in Nova Scotia with two children in school can save $800 in grocery bills a year on average. As part of this agreement, the Government of Canada will invest approximately $12.4 million over the next three years to feed more kids. For the 2024-25 school year, that will include offering a more robust and consistent breakfast program in schools across the province, purchasing new kitchen equipment, hiring additional program coordinators, and developing new recipes for the launch of the next phase of the pay-what-you-can lunch program. These enhancements are particularly significant for rural and remote communities in Nova Scotia and will provide children most affected by food insecurity with access to more consistent and nutritious meals at school."

Excerpt: "The ministry will be extending funding for the school districts included in the child care on school grounds pilots (Seamless Day Kindergarten, School Age Child Care, Just B4 licensed preschool, and the Integration Inquiry Project) to ensure the existing child care spaces families depend on are operational next school year."

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Excerpt: "As we create new child care spaces, we also need more talented early childhood educators to support them. To help build this incredible workforce, the governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing in professional training and education, including $5.8 million for a tuition reimbursement program that provides early childhood education students with up to $5,000. There’s also dedicated funding to support newcomers and Indigenous students entering the field, ensuring more trained professionals are ready to meet the demand."

Excerpt: "The Welcoming a Child Hub offers a personalized checklist and highlights key benefits from the government. This ensures parents can plan Employment Insurance leave, the Canada Child Benefit, Dental Care and may other benefits available to them through the Government of Canada. It also shares relatable stories inspired by real experiences. Similar to the recently launched Retirement Hub and the What to Do When Someone Dies Hub, this initiative demonstrates the Government’s commitment to improving services and supporting Canadians through major life events and unique challenges."

Excerpt: "These increases are partially offset by a $67.5 million decrease in the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program due to construction delays, a $47.8 million decrease related to the Canada-Nova Scotia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement due to timing delays associated with various action plan initiatives, and a $12.3 million decrease in municipal contributions for correctional facilities and public housing related to the service exchange agreement"

Excerpt: "Proposed changes to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Regulations and Canada Student Loans Regulations, pre-published today in the Canada Gazette, Part I, will allow early childhood educators, dentists, dental hygienists, pharmacists, midwives, teachers, social workers, psychologists, personal support workers and physiotherapists to be eligible for student loan forgiveness. These changes are expected to increase the number of loan forgiveness beneficiaries by about 8,000 starting in 2025–26 and by up to 19,000 in 2034–35. It is estimated that over 10 years, more than 27,000 professionals would be encouraged to move to rural and remote areas due to this benefit."

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Excerpt: "The new dual-track French and English K-8 school will be located on Castlebrook Drive between Landover Drive and Skyline Drive. It will also include 74 infant and preschool child-care spaces. The Pembina Trails School Division has seen a 17 per cent growth in students since 2019 and this school will be designed with potential future expansion in mind to accommodate enrolment growth into the coming years, said the minister."

The graph presents Early Childhood Educator (ECE) earnings across Canada, comparing them to provincial and territorial poverty thresholds using the Market Basket Measure. The data reveals significant wage disparities, with ECE salaries falling below the living wage in most regions and, in some cases, barely exceeding poverty thresholds.

- Poverty Threshold Comparison: In many provinces and territories, ECE wages hover near or just above the poverty line, highlighting the financial instability of the profession.
- Living Wage Gap: Only a handful of jurisdictions—with stronger wage policies—offer ECE salaries that meet or exceed the local living wage. In most areas, ECEs struggle to afford basic necessities despite their essential role in early learning.
- Regional Variations: Provinces with higher government investment in child care and workforce compensation tend to have narrower wage gaps, while others lag behind, exacerbating challenges in recruitment and retention.

This data reinforces the urgent need for wage grids, increased public investment, and stronger workforce policies to ensure fair compensation for ECEs and enhance workforce stability.