Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "Agreement on the Cost Control Framework and For-Profit Expansion Plan with the federal government was a next step to creating more child-care spaces in Alberta. Now, up to 22,500 additional licensed private child-care spaces may become eligible for funding supports over the next three years for a total of 68,700 new licensed child care spaces by the end of March 2026. These supports will help increase access to child-care across the province and reduce child care fees for Alberta parents. Of the 22,500 new spaces created, up to 1,600 private spaces may be eligible for funding almost immediately, with up to 2,000 more eligible as soon as licensing requirements are completed, a move that will reduce parent fees for more Alberta families. The remaining spaces will be created by 2026, as part of Alberta’s commitment to ensure increased access to licensed child care for families across the province."

The video comes with a transcript and closed captions.

Excerpt: "More than 725 child care spaces are joining the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program in February, bringing the number of spaces to 12,700 and helping families across the province save thousands of dollars per year. These spaces help reduce costs for families in British Columbia and further develop high-quality, affordable and accessible child care as a core service in the province."

Excerpt: "Nunavut is the first jurisdiction to achieve $10-a-day fees for licensed child care centres under the Canada-wide early learning and child care system. As of December 1, 2022, families in Nunavut with children under age 6 at licensed child care centres and licensed home day cares have access to child care for $10-a-day. Nunavut joins the Yukon and Quebec in providing families with regulated child care for $10-a-day or less. This milestone was achieved a full 15 months ahead of the schedule set out in Nunavut’s Action Plan, and more than three years ahead of the March 2026 federal goal for Canada-wide implementation. With $10-a-day child care, families in Nunavut could save up to $55 per day for each child in care, when compared to previous rates.Nunavut continues to provide a recruitment and retention fund to all licensed child care centres, which supports wage enhancements for early learning and child care educators in approximately 283 current workforce positions."

Excerpt: "As part of the Manitoba government’s ongoing commitment to provide affordable and accessible child-care services for Manitoba families, the province is investing an additional $600,000 in the expansion of the child-care centre at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Brandon’s Y Downtown Early Learning Centre, Premier Heather Stefanson and Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko announced here today. “Our government continues to be a national leader in providing affordable child-care services, which is critical to ensuring Manitobans can participate in the workforce, support their family and play an active role in the growth of our communities and economy,” said Stefanson. “This expansion project will double the number of spaces at the Y Downtown and ensure families in the Brandon area have access to high-quality child care in their community.”"

Excerpt: "Licensed daycare, out-of-school care and preschool programs, as well as licensed family day home agencies can apply for grant funding to support the recruitment, retention and professional development of their certified educators. Available supports include wage top-up, professional development funding and release time grant funding. Read the Alberta Child Care Grant Funding Guide to see if you are eligible and learn about the process to apply for wage top-up, professional development and release time grant funding."

Excerpt: "Spaces in the $10-a-day program reduce the average cost of child care from $1,000 a month for full-time, centre-based infant care to $200 a month for the same service, saving families an average of $800 a month per child."

Excerpt: "Updated: Workforce compensation funding will be provided to offset wage increases for non-RECE staff associated with the increased minimum wage that came into effect October 1, 2022; Clarified: Funding will be provided to support a $1/hour annual increase for RECE staff whose hourly wage, including the wage enhancement grant (WEG), is at or above the wage floor for the year, to a cap of $25/hour; Added: Examples to illustrate the calculation of workforce compensation for the 2023 wage floor and the annual $1 increase, including accounting for those whose wages that fall between $24.01-$24.99/hour; who will receive a top up to their wages to reach the $25/hour cap; Clarified: Licensees may increase wages beyond the $1/hour annual increase; however, CWELCC workforce compensation funding may only be used to fund the incremental amount required to bring RECE staff wages to the wage floor and for up to $1/hour wage increase."

Excerpt: "To date, 92 per cent of Ontario’s licensed child care sites have enrolled in the CWELCC system. Families across the province with children in these centres are already seeing fee reductions of up to 25 per cent, retroactive to April 1, 2022. By the end of this year, families with children under the age of six in participating licensed child care programs will see a further fee reduction of up to 50 per cent relative to 2020 levels."

Excerpt: "In addition to establishing a permanent, legislated commitment to federal funding for early learning and child care, Bill C-35, if passed, would require the federal government to report to the public on federal investments and progress being made on the Canada-wide system. It would also enshrine in law the National Advisory Council on Early Learning and Child Care. The role of this recently announced council is to provide third-party expert advice to the Government of Canada and serve as a forum for engagement on issues and challenges facing the early learning and child care sector."

Excerpt: "Total investments from the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada in the child care and early years program will total more than $3.9B in 2023. Funding will support the implementation of fee reductions, workforce supports, and other measures. This investment represents an increase of $1.28B, or 44%, over the 2022 calendar year. This investment also includes an additional $24M from the renewed Canada-Ontario Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to support child care and early years program delivery. A one-time transitional grant of $85.5M is also included to help offset and assist with the impact of administrative funding changes and provide stability to the sector as the ministry continues its work on the development of the new child care funding formula."

Excerpt: "“As of yesterday, we cut child care fees in half on average across British Columbia – saving families up to an additional $550 a month per child,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Our plan to make life more affordable is delivering concrete results for parents who are struggling with the rising cost of living and ensuring every child can get the best possible start in life. We’re going to continue to be there for people as we work toward delivering $10-a-day child care across the country and build an economy that works for all Canadians.” Increased reductions in child care fees of up to $550 more per child per month took effect on Dec. 1, 2022, and are helping approximately 69,000 families with the cost of child care. This is in addition to the savings of up to $350 per month per child that were introduced in 2018 and which participating child care providers were already passing on to families."