News & Stories: Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "The purpose of the Strategic Action Plan is to provide guidance and direction on inclusion and equity to all early learning and child care stakeholders in Nunavut for three years from 2023-2026. Its scope includes enhancing inclusion and equity for children with disabilities, children needing enhanced or individual supports, Indigenous – in particular Inuit – children, Black and other racialized children, children in foster care, and official language minority children. This Strategic Action Plan also aims to ensure that vulnerable children and children from diverse backgrounds have access to licensed child care spaces. To achieve this, the Government of Nunavut is committed to work together with all partners and stakeholders, while also taking a leadership role in its sphere of responsibility."

Excerpt: "The aim of the Nunavut Early Learning and Child Care Quality Framework is to present a clear and accessible vision for ELCC in Nunavut that supports the development and delivery of ELCC programs and services across the territory. Whether this takes place in the home, child care settings, community-based programs, or parenting centres in remote or urban communities, all ELCC programs developed and delivered in Nunavut should align with the vision and guiding principles presented in this framework."

Excerpt: "Nunavut's Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Wage Scale Program recommends a minimum wage that should be provided to ELCC staff. To promote the scale's implementation and the recruitment and retention of dedicated ELCC staff, this new program accepts applications from licensed child care centres for contribution funding to top up their staff compensation to levels outlined in the scale. This initiative provides contribution funding to licensed child care centres serving children aged 0-6.The goal is to ensure that ELCC staff receive equitable compensation for their crucial role in promoting the growth and well-being of all children. The ELCC Wage Scale outlines distinct wage levels across four categories: Management; Early childhood educator; Program support; Centre support."

Excerpt: "After extensive consultation, the province has developed a workforce strategy that responds to the issues and priorities of the sector. Starting in 2024, initiatives in the strategy include: Increasing the starting wage for RECEs employed by child care operators enrolled in the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system to $23.86/hour in 2024 from the planned $20/hour; Extending the eligibility ceiling for a $1/hour increase so more RECEs can benefit; Supporting entry into the profession and career development; Cutting red tape for employers and providing more flexibility in staffing their programs; Launching a promotional campaign to bolster awareness and value of the child care profession"

Excerpt: "Three sites are under development and will be operational in St. John’s, Bonavista, and Corner Brook. These sites will create approximately 160 child care spaces and will be developed over the next six months. All sites will be operated by YMCA, and will consider hours of operation to ensure the child care services meet the needs of health professionals."

Excerpt: "Central Okanagan school district received approximately $29 million through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund to build new child care facilities on school grounds. Nearly 600 new child care spaces located at seven schools throughout Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country have been funded, with approximately 250 open and 350 opening this winter and next spring."

Excerpt: "Today, the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada announced $23. 5 million for the creation of 2,349 new regulated child care spaces across the province. Métis Nation-Saskatchewan hosted the announcement as its government is being allocated funding for child care spaces through the provincial and federal agreement. “This investment of $23.5 million will provide Saskatchewan families greater access to affordable, high-quality early learning and child care opportunities,” Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “These spaces will support positive child development, early literacy and student achievement.” Funding for the newly announced spaces has been allocated to 51 organizations in 41 communities that will either build new facilities or add new spaces within their existing facilities."

Excerpt: "The Governments of Canada and Nunavut today announced a three-year plan to improve and expand early learning and child care (ELCC) services in the territory. This is part of the Canada-Nunavut ELCC Agreement for 2021-2026. This plan, rooted in Nunavut’s strong partnerships with Inuit organizations, sets a road map for strengthening and expanding Nunavut’s child care sector, improving access to high-quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive child care for the territory’s families."

Excerpt: "Making schools in Ontario modern, safe and accessible is key to helping students learn and develop. To support student success, the government is investing $22 billion over the next 10 years, including close to $15 billion in capital grants, to build new schools, add child care spaces and modernize school infrastructure. This includes $1.4 billion for the current school year to support the repair and renewal needs of schools. For the 2023–24 school year, 21 new schools and additions have opened, creating over 7,000 new student spaces, including six French‐language school projects."

Excerpt: "Early childhood educators (ECEs) will receive another hourly raise, starting on Jan. 1, 2024, to support the essential work they do to educate and care for young children. New annual grants recognizing ECEs with specialized training will be available in the new year. Eligible ECEs working at participating licensed child care facilities will receive a $2-per-hour raise in January 2024, based on hours worked in December 2023, on top of the existing $4-per-hour raise. This government-funded raise is the most recent in a series of increases to the ECE Wage Enhancement, bringing the total raise to $6 per hour and increasing the median wage for ECEs up to approximately $28 per hour."

Excerpt: "This transition, supported by the CSFY school community and the society previously managing the program, was implemented to help ensure Garderie's sustainable future. This change is the result of collaboration between the Government of Yukon and CSFY to establish a process for CSFY to manage French child care centres in the Yukon. To support this shift from a society-run initiative to a school board program, the Government of Yukon's Early Learning and Child Care Branch collaborated with CSFY and the Garderie to create a new policy framework and guidelines. This represents a first for any school board in the territory, involving the development of innovative policies within the scope of the Education Act and the Child Care Act."

Excerpt: "Your government has amended the Early Childhood Services Act and implemented the Federal-Provincial Early Learning and Childcare Action Plan to create 550 new designated childcare spaces this year and reduced out-of-pocket fees for families on average by 50 per cent. The funding agreement aims to provide New Brunswick families with an average fee of $10 per day childcare by 2025-26. Your government has also increased early childhood educator wages by 24 per cent and increased retention by 46 per cent."