Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "This contribution will total more than $11.5M. Over 160,000 children between the ages of 0 and 5 live in these communities. The networks include municipalities, child care services, health and social service centres, schools and community organizations and total over 1,000 partner agencies."

Government memo re: amendments to legislation, regulations and guidelines related to Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program, including overview; operational framework for extended day and third party programs; safe schools and FDK; and broader implementation of FDK. Regulations indicate non-profit delivery of afterschool programs unless commercial programs are already in schools or no other alternatives are available.

The government announced the final roll out plans for full-day kindergarten for all 4- and 5-year-old children – approximately 250,000 children by September 2014.

Excerpt: "Quebec government launches a new logo for licensed child care programs to distinguish legally-recognized child care from illegal ones."

Excerpt: "Today, during Early Learning and Child Care Month, Education Minister Donna Harpauer announced that 13 communities have been allocated new licensed child care spaces as a result of the 2011-12 budget, which provided $2.1 million to develop 500 new child care spaces across Saskatchewan."

Excerpt: "The province will fund an extra 25 child-care sites, raising its five-year commitment under Family Choices to 54 new centres, Premier Greg Selinger announced today."

Family Child Care Initiative that builds on the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Capacity Initiative is a two-year pilot project to develop 400 new spaces in regulated family child care homes over two years. The initiative is targeting a shortage of regulated spaces in rural communities and for children under the age of two.

Child Care Tax Credit allows for a maximum amount of $7,000 per year to be claimed for children up to seven years of age, for a maximum credit of $539, and $4,000 per year for children aged seven to 16, for a maximum credit of $308.

Early Childhood Learning: $1.3 million, part of a total commitment of $4.8 million over three years, to begin implementation of the Provincial Government's Early Childhood Learning Strategy, Learning from the Start. Implementation begins with initiatives that focus on social and early language development opportunities from birth to age three, and with providing parents with the information and resources to help them give their children the right start – right from the start. Resources will include brochures, resource kits, a website and other tools.

SchoolsPlus pilot is expanded to all eight school boards. Family resource centres, child care and youth health centres will be located within select schools at all school boards.

Budget announced $1.4 million to fund an increased number of early learning and child care spaces and an additional $800,000 for the Daycare Assistance Program (child care fee subsidy).

Budget announced additional $1.3 million for 250 child care subsidies.