News & Stories: Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "But more families need access to affordable child care. That’s why, today in Yellowknife, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, joined the Honourable Caitlin Cleveland, Northwest Territories’ Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, to announce $10.6 million over four years, with $7.8 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across the Northwest Territories through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help the Northwest Territories reach the shared goal of building 300 new child care spaces by 2026. Through this Fund, all provinces and territories will be able to make further investments in child care, so more families can save up to $14,300 on child care every year, per child."

Excerpt: "Every child deserves the best start in life. That’s why, today in Montreal, the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport and Quebec lieutenant, and the Honourable Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced $123 million over four years, with $82 million through 2025-2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across Quebec through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help Quebec reach the shared goal of building 30,000 new child care spaces by 2026. The funding announced today builds on previous investments made under the asymmetrical agreement between the governments of Canada and Quebec on early learning and child care. Funding from the Government of Canada will enable Quebec to support its priorities in terms of early childhood education and care, and measures to improve inclusiveness."

Excerpt: "But more families need access to affordable child care. That’s why, today in Regina, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and the Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, on behalf of the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, joined Sameema Haque, Assistant Deputy Minister of Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education, to announce $27.7 million over four years, with $19.1 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across Saskatchewan through the Government of Canada’s $625-million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help Saskatchewan reach the shared goal of building 28,000 new child care spaces by 2026. Through this Fund, all provinces and territories will be able to make further investments in child care, so more families can save up to $14,300 on child care every year, per child."

Excerpt: "But more families need access to affordable child care. That’s why, today in Whitehorse, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, joined the Honourable Jeanie McLean, Yukon’s Minister of Education and Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, to announce $10.5 million over four years, with $7.7 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across the Yukon through the Government of Canada’s $625-million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. The Yukon has already far exceeded the shared goal of building 110 new child care spaces by 2026, and this investment will further help the territory. Through this Fund, all provinces and territories will be able to make further investments in child care, so more families can save up to $14,300 on child care every year, per child. These investments will aim to support families in rural and remote communities, as well as families in communities that face barriers to access, such as racialized groups, Indigenous Peoples, newcomers, official language minority communities, and children, parents and employees with disabilities. Funding may also be used to support infrastructure to provide care during non-standard hours."

Excerpt: "The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the Government of Canada is providing Ontario with $201.87 million to create child care spaces and support inclusive child care services across the province, especially in underserved communities. This investment, part of the previously announced $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund, will help Ontario reach our goal of creating 86,000 new child care spaces by 2026 – meaning more families in Ontario can access affordable spaces. It will mean more spaces in rural and remote regions, high-cost and low-income urban neighbourhoods, and communities that face barriers to access, including racialized groups, Indigenous Peoples, official language minority communities, newcomers, as well as parents, caregivers, and children with disabilities. We are working with all other provincial and territorial partners to reach similar funding agreements."

Excerpt: "Penticton children and their families are benefiting from 34 new before- and after-school child care spaces at the Leapin Lizard’s Daycare Centre located on the grounds of Columbia Elementary school. “Finding access to affordable, quality and inclusive child care can be extremely stressful for families,” said Mitzi Dean, Minister of State for Child Care. “Investments like these are life-changing for everyone. These new child care spaces will serve the Penticton community well and our government looks forward to creating more positive changes for families in the coming months and years.” The Province partnered with Okanagan Skaha School District (SD67) to build the additional child care spaces with approximately $2.25 million from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund. The funding supported the building, as well as the purchase of accessible playground equipment."

Excerpt: "Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) will add more spaces to its child study centre in Halifax and expand the age groups it serves with funding support from the provincial and federal governments. This will help meet the need for child care in the community and enhance the education and professional development of aspiring early childhood educators in the university’s child and youth study program, while offering research opportunities in the field. “We are pleased to support the expansion of MSVU’s child-care facility. Families need greater access to reliable and affordable child care, and we need more professionals to provide that care,” said Becky Druhan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “We’re proud of the work MSVU is doing to help meet the needs of families in the community.” The larger facility will add an additional 82 spaces and introduce up to 32 infant spaces. Parents who are on the existing wait list will be given priority."

Excerpt: "A community hub with child-care facilities is being integrated into the design of the new kindergarten-to-Grade 5 school in the north end of Saint John. “Schools no longer serve strictly as places of learning, but often become the heart of the community,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Bill Hogan. “A hub of this kind will not only provide a space for children to continue developing their skills outside of school hours, but will have a positive impact on the community it serves for years to come.” The community hub is a pilot project that will include a dedicated, licensed early learning hub for children up to four years old, as well as spaces for school-aged children, a multi-purpose room and a community office."

Excerpt: "Whereas Nova Scotia indicates that since signing the agreement, there have been challenges expending its 2022 to 2023 allocation due to diverse implementation challenges. Whereas the parties agree to increase in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, Nova Scotia's carry forward allowance from 30% to 63% for 2022 to 2023 into 2023 to 2024. Now therefore, the parties agree to amend the agreement, as follows: section 4 is amended by replacing article 4.6.2 with the following: "4.6.2 In fiscal year 2022 to 2023, at the request of Nova Scotia, and subject to the approval of Canada's Treasury Board by the federal Minister, Nova Scotia may retain and carry forward to the following fiscal year any unexpended funds remaining from Nova Scotia's annual funding payable under section 4.2, up to a maximum of 63% of the contribution payable. Any unexpended funds in excess of 63% of the contribution payable represents an overpayment subject to section 4.7.""

Excerpt: "Manitoba’s early learning and child-care wage grid sets recommended starting-point and target wages for various positions within the early learning and child-care sector. The province provides facilities with a wage grid supplement. This additional funding helps facilities increase wages to meet the wage grid levels. Funding for wages in 2024-25 will increase by 2.75 per cent beginning July 1 for a total additional funding contribution of $10.9 million: $10.3 million from the government of Canada and $600,000 from the Manitoba government."

Excerpt: "Families in Hammonds Plains will see more early learning and child-care spaces opening in their community this summer. It Takes a Village Child Care Centre on Parkland Drive in Halifax is opening a second location at 1432 Hammonds Plains Rd. The new centre is expected to create about 75 new child-care spaces for toddlers and preschool-aged children. “Nova Scotians have told us they need better access to child care, and that’s exactly what we are providing,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Becky Druhan. “These new spaces are part of our updated expansion plan to increase access to child care across the province.” This is the first project approved under the Province’s new Minor Infrastructure Program for New Early Learning and Child Care Space Creation that offers funding to licensed not-for-profit child-care providers to quickly renovate and expand."

Excerpt: "The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will partner with the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick to provide training to 400 early childhood educators over the next four years. Beginning this fall, 100 of them in the anglophone sector will be invited to participate in a training program entitled Talk, Sing, Read Everyone, Everywhere! The training includes coaching and mentoring so that early childhood educators can feel confident about their skills."