News & Stories: Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "In considering affordability, it is important to consider overall operating costs which are higher in the North and the increased cost of living for early childhood educators who are typically paid low wages. Any increases to wages, to address recruitment and retention, will need to be considered in offsetting operating costs for licensed early learning and child care programs."

Excerpt: "The department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) invited Indigenous governments, licensed early learning and child care program operators, early childhood educators, and the public to provide their feedback on the proposed amendments. These amendments seek to establish an NWT certification process and wage grid, increase inclusion and reporting measures, establish cost control measures, protect the rights of families, and update language used in the Act. The What We Heard Report includes a summary of feedback from engagement that took place in June 2022."

Excerpt: "The Annual Report provides an opportunity for residents of the Northwest Territories (NWT) to see the type of support and services delivered through Child and Family Services (CFS) and understand why they are offered. The report identifies trends, including how the Child and Family Services system can improve and where there has been a positive impact on the people served."

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."

Excerpt: "We have implemented the first steps toward more affordable licensed early learning and childcare programming in the territory, with the goal of reducing families’ childcare costs to an average of $10 a day by 2026. This initiative is supported through federal funding and with proposed funding of $10.3 million in 2023-24 we are aiming to increase access to high-quality, inclusive, affordable, early learning and childcare spaces. The new investment will make childcare fees more affordable for families while providing early childhood educators with increased professional learning and post-secondary opportunities."

Excerpt: "Effective April 1, families with children attending licensed early learning and child care programs will receive an increase in their Child Care Fee Reduction subsidy from the department of Education, Culture and Employment, which will reduce their total child care fees. Previously, through the Canada-wide Canada-NWT Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (Canada-wide ELCC Agreement) the GNWT was paying an average of 50 per cent of child care fees, which will now increase to an average of 60 per cent. Also, licensed programs will be able to increase their fees by two to six per cent, depending on the total fee rates being charged by that program for infant and preschool spaces, and by a flat rate of $10 per month for out-of-school."

Excerpt: "The Yukon has enjoyed economic growth every year since 2016, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the territory continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. However, many Yukoners are feeling financial pressures due to inflation."

Excerpt: "School will never be a replacement for a healthy home, but if the fundamental promise of our education system is to develop the “whole child”, then we cannot ignore students non-academic needs in school. To that end, we will be focusing specifically on assessing what resources our schools and our educators require to ensure that those needs can be met."

Excerpt: "This budget represents a vision of a territory in which all communities have access to infrastructure and services that support healthy living now and into the future. It represents a vision of a territory with a vast and rich landscape that is managed responsibly for future generations. It signifies our government’s enduring commitment to improving the lives of Yukoners. While they are technical by nature, budgets are ultimately successful when they improve the lives of those they are intended to serve."

Excerpt: "The agreement allocates slightly more than $7 million to Yukon over three years for early learning and child care investments. Yukon’s Action Plan outlines how these funds will be invested. This funding will provide additional child care subsidy supports for grandparents who take care of their grandchildren, increase resources to assist Early Childhood Educators, help retain trained early childhood staff, and increase support to improve inclusive child care programming for children who are most in need."

Excerpt: "If a child care centre remains open, the Direct Operating Grant will provide 100 per cent of eligible building costs for March, April, May and June 2020, as well as wages for all working staff, including the employer’s contribution for Employment Insurance, the Canada Pension Plan and the Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board.

If a child care centre is closed, the grant will cover 100 per cent of eligible building costs for March, April, May and June 2020. Staff are encouraged to access supports from the Government of Canada."

Excerpt: "Canada and Yukon agree that the long term vision, principles and objectives for early learning and child care, which are set out in the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework that is attached as Annex 1, will guide the investment of funds provided under this Agreement."