Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "The department created 315 new licensed early learning and child care spaces over the 2‑year audit period. However, it did not assess whether these spaces aligned with community needs, and more than 90% of the new spaces were created in a single region when the department’s own information showed that more than 40% of children who may need early learning and child care lived in the other 4 regions of the Northwest Territories. The department also did not know whether there were enough inclusive spaces to meet the needs of diverse and/or vulnerable children and did not assess whether its initiatives to improve quality—such as implementing a wage grid to support the recruitment and retention of early learning and child care workers—achieved the intended results."

Excerpt: "The Provincial Government is establishing a new Child Care Advisory Panel comprised of child care operators that will help the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development improve child care services. The panel will provide insights, concerns and recommendations to improve and expand child care services in Newfoundland and Labrador based on the experiences of those working in the child care sector. The department reviewed 115 responses to an expression of interest seeking members for the panel in June to ensure the members represented diverse perspectives from all regions of the province. The panel includes representation from a mix of rural and urban perspectives, early childhood educators, administrators and licensees from child care centres and family homes."

Excerpt: "Children in North Preston will have a more comfortable and energy-efficient place to learn and flourish, with support from the Province. Twila Grosse, Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs and MLA for Preston, announced funding today, October 13, on behalf of Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, to help the North Preston Day Care Centre switch from oil heat to an energy-efficient electric heat pump system. The project also includes planning for other upgrades to the building, which could include solar panels, new insulation, windows and doors, and energy-efficient light fixtures."

Excerpt: "Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, and the Honourable Paul Calandra, Ontario’s Minister of Education, announced a four-year extension to the Canada–Ontario Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. Through the extension, Ontario will receive nearly $12 billion in federal funding over the next four years, from March 31, 2027, to March 31, 2031. As part of this extension, Ontario is committing to maintain current child care fees at $19 per day on average until June 30, 2027. Keeping child care affordable remains a shared priority as families continue to navigate economic pressures. Over the next year, the governments of Canada and Ontario will work together to maintain affordable fees and establish a sustainable path forward for child care across the province. This work will include negotiations about Ontario’s share of the $5.4 billion over two years announced by the Government of Canada in June 2026 to help provinces and territories maintain stable and affordable child care fees for families."

Excerpt: "Families in Dawson will have access to more child care when construction of Big Blue Daycare is complete. With more than $2.7 million of funding support, the Dawson Society for Children and Families is building a new early learning and child care facility, which will have up to 32 spaces for children. The funding for this important community project comes from the Yukon government’s Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund, which is supported by the Government of Canada under the Canada – Yukon Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund Agreement."

Excerpt: "More children and families throughout B.C. will have opportunities to learn, participate and succeed through increased access to programs and resources that help build literacy skills and a love of reading. "Reading helps children build confidence and skills that support them throughout their lives," said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “As a parent, I’ve seen how a book can capture a child’s imagination and keep them coming back for the next one. Access to literacy programs and reading resources helps more children discover the joy of reading, supports lifelong learning and creates opportunities to explore and celebrate B.C. books, authors and stories.”"

Excerpt: "Students returning to school this month are being fed, supported and ready to learn thanks to investments in education this year, according to Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Claire Johnson. “Our children and young people are the future of New Brunswick, and we’re making sure they get the opportunities and resources they need to have every chance to learn and succeed,” said Johnson. “By making the necessary investments in the school system, including classroom supports and infrastructure, we’re creating an environment for students to be successful.” The government committed $2.2 billion to education in the 2026-27 budget, an increase of $119 million."

Excerpt: "During the mission, Minister Nicolaides will meet with French education officials to promote teacher and student mobility programs, reinforce existing partnerships between Alberta and French education authorities and explore new opportunities for collaboration. As part of the visit, Alberta’s government will sign a letter of intent with the National Ministry of Education and a memorandum of understanding with La Région Académique Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. These new agreements renew Alberta and France’s long-standing partnership and support new opportunities for students and teachers in both jurisdictions."

Excerpt: "Through the third round of Targeted Enrolment Expansion, Alberta is committing more than $148 million over three years to expand high-demand degree, diploma and certificate programs in areas such as health care, education, engineering, technology, early learning and skilled trades. This investment builds on almost $313 million provided through the first two rounds of Targeted Enrolment Expansion, which will add more than 15,000 funded spaces. The new funding responds to student demand while helping train more nurses, paramedics, teachers, engineers and other skilled professionals needed to support Alberta’s growing economy, public services and communities."

Excerpt: "Through the National School Food Program, the federal government aims to provide meals to up to 400,000 children each year. For the 2026-27 school year, federal funding for provincial and territorial school food programs has doubled from 2024-25 levels to $140 million annually, helping enhance and expand school food programs across Canada. Under the Canada-Alberta National School Food Program Agreement, the Government of Canada's $17.6 million investment for 2026-27 builds on Alberta's annual funding of $20 million for the School Nutrition Program Grant, creating more opportunities for students to access healthy food at school. Together, these investments will help schools provide more meals, improve nutritional quality, expand programming to additional students, and establish new school nutrition programs in schools that do not currently offer them."

Excerpt: "The Provincial Government is introducing universal screening for the 2026-27 school year to help identify and assist students who may require additional learning support. Universal screening refers to evidence-based assessments used to identify students who require additional support. The screening process will be introduced for kindergarten and Grade 1 students using Acadience Reading and Acadience Reading Français screeners. These assessments are designed to measure early literacy skills and include six measures that assess the foundational skills students need to become better readers. The screening will provide educators with additional information to better understand learning needs earlier in the learning process."

Excerpt: "Provincial assessment results for the 2025-26 school year in both the anglophone and francophone education sectors have been compiled and released. “We conduct annual assessments of students across the province to evaluate how the education system is working,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Claire Johnson. “Sharing our results ensures transparency and accountability and helps us pinpoint areas where we are performing well and areas where we need to improve.”"

• Access the Assessments and evaluations