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October 20, 2022

R.J. Simpson: Early Learning and Child Care Update

Excerpt: "The GNWT will provide funding directly to operators, which will then flow the money to their employees. In the first year, licensed childcare centres will receive $12,750 for every fulltime position that is required under legislation, keeping in mind that some centres have more than the minimum number of required employees. In the second year, the amount increases to $16,250. Childcare centres will be able to decide how they distribute the funds to their employees, so actual pay increases will vary based on the particular centre. This two-year program will bridge a gap until we implement a wage grid in the 2024-2025 fiscal year."
October 19, 2022

Province helping families with child care fees

Excerpt: "Parents or guardians of school aged children, who had to find alternate child care because of the extended closure of their child’s school between October 3-7, will get help through the Fiona Child Care Allowance Program. If parents accessed care through a licensed centre, the centre will be paid directly to cover up to $20 per day per child. Parents who accessed private care, such as a babysitter or non-licensed program, can apply for funding at Fiona Child Care Allowance Program. The Province will also cover the parent-fees for all families with children in licensed early learning and child care centres, if the centre was not able to open between October 3-7 due to damages from hurricane Fiona. Parents do not need to apply for this, it will be automatically paid to their centre."
October 14, 2022

Governments of Canada, Manitoba Investing More Than $1 Million to Create 40 New Child-Care Spaces in Oakville

Excerpt: "The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing more than $1 million to support a community-based capital project to create 40 new child-care spaces at a new centre in Oakville, Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko announced here today. “Our government is committed to creating high-quality child-care spaces for Manitobans that have limited access to child care, such as Indigenous communities, newcomers and low-income families,” said Ewasko. “I am pleased that our government’s investment will help to develop the first child-care centre in the town of Oakville, a rural community in central Manitoba that currently has the lowest number of licensed child-care spaces in the province.” The new spaces are made possible through funding under the Canada-Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which provides the province with approximately $1.2 billion million over five years to improve access to affordable, high-quality, flexible and inclusive early learning and child-care programs for all children, regardless of where they live."
October 11, 2022

The Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada Announce Additional Funding for the Recruitment and Retention of Early Childhood Educators

Excerpt: "Saskatchewan regulated child care centres and group family child care homes will receive a one-time grant of $145 per regulated child care space for children up to the age of six to assist with each facility's unique workforce needs, such as one-time investments into benefit or pension funds, signing bonuses or to attend career fairs. This investment will be made through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement for the Early Learning and Child Care Workforce Enhancement Grant."
October 11, 2022

Families in Canada to benefit from innovative early learning and child care practices

Excerpt: "The 16 projects, funded through the Early Learning and Child Care Innovation Program, are receiving a total of $27.4 million in federal funding over three years, and will be completed by March 31, 2025. The call for proposals focused on projects that foster cutting-edge practices to support the changing nature of early learning and child care, placing a priority on projects that address the needs of families grappling with the impacts of the pandemic."
October 11, 2022

Higher Wages, Retroactive Pay for Early Childhood Educators

Excerpt: "Highlights of the announcement include: a new wage scale for Level 1, 2 and 3 early childhood educators and directors working in licensed centres and family home child-care agencies that receive funding from the Province; wage increases retroactive to July 4, 2022; the wage increases will be between 14 and 43 per cent, depending on classification level and experience; wage increases will flow through employers (licensed, funded centres and agencies); the cost is estimated at about $100 million a year, cost-shared through the Canada–Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement; the Province currently pays about $25 million a year in wages to operators and the total additional new investment is about $75.4 million."