Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "In response to the learning loss identified in a pilot during the 2021-22 school year and the Child and Youth Well-being Review Panel recommendations, school authorities will now be required to administer literacy and numeracy screening assessments, selected from an approved list, starting in September 2022. The implementation of language and math assessments for students in grades 1 to 3 was one of the Alberta government’s key platform commitments. Fulfilling this commitment, while also addressing COVID-19-related learning loss, will ensure both parents and teachers understand and assess progress in the critical early years to help struggling learners. Many other provinces already collect assessment information about students at this age."

Excerpt: "The action plan is focused on ensuring access to high-quality, equitable education, preparing students for their future, supporting excellence in teaching and leadership, and strengthening the public education system in Manitoba, noted the minister. The action plan has four pillars for student success: High-Quality Learning: to improve learning and outcomes for students through responsive and relevant curriculum and learning experiences in safe and inclusive learning environments; Student Engagement and Well-Being: to respond to diverse life experiences, engage students, promote well-being, support successful transitions and leverage inter-sectoral partnerships; Excellence in Teaching and Leadership: to ensure teachers, school staff and leaders have the knowledge, skills and tools to support student achievement and well-being; Responsive Systems: to ensure an equitable, aligned and effective public education system that focuses on engagement, inclusion and planning for provincial and local needs."

Excerpt: "Under Budget 2021, the Province committed to expanding the number of $10 a Day spaces in B.C. by converting 3,750 licensed child care spaces into low-cost spaces for families. The B.C. government has now surpassed this goal by creating 4,015 $10 a Day spaces for families in communities throughout B.C."

Excerpt: "In less than a year, the federal government reached agreements with all 13 provinces and territories. This means, by the end of 2022, that Canadian families will have seen their child care fees reduced by an average of 50 per cent. By 2025-26, it will mean an average child care fee of $10-a-day for all regulated child care spaces across Canada. Most provinces and territories are also moving ahead with faster than anticipated initiatives to support access to affordable high-quality child care spaces.

Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories have already cut child care fees in half. In Ontario, fees will be reduced by an initial 25 per cent retroactive to April 1, 2022. Yukon has already put in place a $10-a-day target for child care spaces as of April 1, 2021, five years ahead of schedule. Prince Edward Island is targeting $10-a-day spaces by the end of 2024."

Excerpt: "On April 1, 2022, the eligibility for these wage enhancements expanded to ensure more ECEs will benefit. Previously, the $4-an-hour wage enhancement program was only available to front-line ECEs working directly with children. Budget 2022 is providing nearly $80 million over the next three years to expand this enhancement to all ECEs directly employed by licensed child care programs, including Supported Child Development and Aboriginal Supported Child Development professionals with ECE certification."

Excerpt: "To improve assistance and services for families and youth, the government is announcing funding totalling $256 million in this budget to: improve the quality of the educational childcare services network; rovide support to families with special needs and improve targeted services for them; support young people. The financial impact of these measures is $109 million, in light of amounts announced elsewhere in this budget, such as the implementation of the 2022‑2027 government action plan in the community action field."

Excerpt: "Families will see their fees for accessing licensed, funded child care reduced by 25 per cent, on average, starting Friday, April 1. Through the Nova Scotia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, parents will save anywhere between $3 and $10.50 per day, per child, based on the child’s age."

Excerpt: "Prince Edward Island agrees to utilize funding in licensed/regulated settings to support the attraction and retention of a qualified workforce, including through training, professional development, wages, bursary programs, tuition support and grants."

Excerpt: "Early Learning and Child Care preschool spaces coverage in New Brunswick is currently 47%. The largest gaps are spaces in rural communities and infant spaces. 16% of New Brunswick communities have less than 25% coverage for children ages five (5) years and under, prior to school entry. The majority of these low coverage areas are rural communities. Many rural communities in New Brunswick have a higher level of seasonal employment which can have an impact on the demand for services. New Brunswick is committed to creating new spaces in rural communities and will consult on ways to best serve these communities’ unique needs."

Excerpt: "Mr. Speaker, over the course of the pandemic we have seen the importance of keeping our childcare facilities open as parents continued to work throughout the various stages of the pandemic. Families are also seeing rising costs and household budgets are being squeezed. One way our government can help families deal with the current high inflation environment is to make childcare more affordable. Through our bilateral agreements with the Government of Canada, we will be investing $110 million in our early learning and childcare sector in 2022–2023, and over the next five years, we will invest a total of approximately $500 million. These agreements will help lower the cost of childcare for New Brunswick families, while also respecting the investments we have already made in building a world-class early learning education system."

Excerpt: "Public Sector Accounting Standards require the government reporting entity to consolidate its total budget on a lineby-line basis using the same accounting principles and presentation as it uses to report its actual financial results. This document provides the consolidated budget for the Government of Nunavut reporting entity."

Excerpt: "The 2022-23 Ministry of Education Budget provides record support of $2.9 billion, an increase of $219.9 million or 8.3 per cent over last year, for Prekindergarten to Grade 12 students, early learners and school and child care staff."