News & Stories: Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "The program provides compensation for up to 8 per cent of staff wages for employers to select and offer a comprehensive benefits package that meets the needs of their employees from a registered Canadian insurance provider. A combined total of $800,000 in funding from the governments of Canada and Yukon is available to every licensed ELCC program in the Yukon, including operators currently offering benefits for employees. Those operators can also receive retroactive funding for providing their employees with benefits from April 1, 2021."

Excerpt: "Yukon commits to using federal funding to increase the net number of regulated child care spaces for children under age 6 by 110 spaces, which is the number of new spaces required to achieve a coverage rate of 59% by fiscal year 2025 to 2026. In creating these 110 child care spaces, Yukon commits that: federal funding will be exclusively used to support creation of regulated spaces in not-for-profit and public child care providers/operators, as well as family-based child care; federal funding will be exclusively used to support licensed child care delivery by licensed providers."

Excerpt: "Main estimates for the Government of Yukon 2022–23 Budget. This document was prepared by the Department of Finance under the direction of Management Board for the 1st Session of the 35th Legislature, Yukon Legislative Assembly. March 2022, Whitehorse, Yukon."

Excerpt: "Under the new program, the Government of Yukon provides licensed operators with $700 per month for each child in full-time child care, which must be fully and immediately applied to reduce the monthly payments made by parents (this is pro-rated for children in part-time child care). The new program also includes fee increase limits to ensure that fees charged to parents remain both sustainable and affordable and in line with rates charged by other local providers delivering the same type of child care. Under Yukon’s universal child care program, average parent fees are now less than $10 per day, among the lowest in Canada."

Excerpt: "With support through the Canada-Yukon Canada-wide agreement, the Yukon has already surpassed its commitment to create 110 new licensed early learning and child care spaces within five years, to help provide Yukon families with access to early learning and child care. The territory focuses on supporting the creation of spaces in licenced non-profit, for-profit, family day home and First Nations government-operated centres. The governments of Canada and Yukon have created an implementation committee to monitor progress on early learning and child care commitments in consultation with partners and stakeholders. The Government of Canada is represented on the committee by the Federal Secretariat on Early Learning and Child Care."

Excerpt: "Early childhood educators can access up to $500 in enhanced bursaries for learning and development opportunities. Bursary funding will also be available to assist Yukon residents studying in the field of early learning, supporting both full- and part-time studies, and credited and non-credit coursework. Additionally, early learning program operators and partners will be contracted to create and deliver professional development opportunities for early childhood educators."

Excerpt: "The Ready-to-Learn Schools program was first launched as a pilot project at Takhini Elementary School in 2019 and was adopted by Selkirk Elementary School in 2021. This school year the program will be implemented at St. Elias Community School in Haines Junction, Nelnah Bessie John School in Beaver Creek and Grey Mountain Primary School and Jack Hulland Elementary School in Whitehorse. Responsive instructional approaches will eventually be implemented in all Yukon schools."

Excerpt: "Since 2019 the Department of Education has launched a number of initiatives to address the gaps in Yukon’s education system and to improve student outcomes. These include: Launching the Universal Child Care model; Launching enhanced early kindergarten and full day kindergarten in most rural communities; Working with the Chiefs Committee on Education to establish the First Nation School Board; Finalizing a Collaboration Framework with Yukon First Nations; Completing the Review of Inclusive and Special Education; Advancing the Reimagining Inclusive and Special Education (RISE) work plan, which was developed with partners; Launching the Ready-to-Learn Schools initiative; Creating a data sharing agreement with Yukon First Nations and releasing publicly available student data reports; Initiating work and engagement on a Student Outcomes Strategy, which will look at root causes of poor student outcomes, develop targets and evaluate progress on closing gaps."

Excerpt: "Additional highlights include: The historic creation of the First Nation School Board with eight schools voting in January 2022 to join the new school board. The eight schools transitioned to the First Nation School Board authority for the 2022-23 school year and in November five trustees were elected to the board; Progressing Ready-to-Learn Schools at St. Elias Community School in Haines Junction, Nelnah Bessie John School in Beaver Creek and Grey Mountain Primary School, Jack Hulland Elementary School, Takhini Elementary School and Selkirk Elementary School in Whitehorse; Key capital projects to build or renovate schools to ensure they reflect modern learning practices, including: advancing the Whistle Bend elementary school project, the Kêts’ádań Kù Burwash school project, modular classrooms at Robert Service School and planning to replace École Whitehorse Elementary School; and, Collaboration with Yukon University on programs and infrastructure, including meeting the demands for early childhood educators and licensed practical nurses in the Yukon."

Excerpt: "“Understanding the Early Years” is a Yukon First Nations designed and developed course that will be offered in Whitehorse and in rural communities, with special focus on communities that have limited access to professional development. The course provides opportunities for both employees of licensed programs currently working without a certificate level and Yukoners wanting to enter the early childhood education field. Yukoners who successfully complete the course will receive a Level 1 certificate to practice as an early childhood educator from the Yukon Department of Education’s Early Learning and Child Care Unit."

The well-being of children and families in Yukon is the focus of a new plan issued today by Minister of Health and Social Services Doug Graham. On the Path Together: Wellness Plan for Yukon’s Children and Families provides evidence-based strategies for improving the health and well-being of children and youth that will be used to help plan and set priorities and provide practical information on healthy living. The plan sets out three pathways to improve wellness: Giving kids a good start in life (0-5 years); Raising kids who flourish (6–19 years); Healthy living for all.

Excerpt: "This document summarizes information on training gaps in the field of early childhood education in Inuit Nunangat. It was developed to inform future investments in early childhood education, as well as policy and program development in the field. While this project did not undertake a rigorous research process, nor an exhaustive literature review, Inuit regional partners were engaged at every stage. The resulting document gives a voice to representatives working on the ground with child care centres."