News & Stories: Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "In addition to the requirement for EYCs to meet specific criteria related to workforce/quality, including the requirement for all staff to have a level of certification and adhering to a uniform wage grid and benefits, PEI has taken further steps to support its ECE workforce. Funding provided under the Early Learning and Child Care Bilateral Agreement (2017) resulted in education and training grants being provided to 170 early childhood educators for a total of $366,473 spent since 2017."

Excerpt: "Early Learning Employment Investments: $655,300. Increased funding to the ECDA will aim to increase the employability of individuals within the licensed early learning and childcare system. The funding will support up to 100 participants in the development of skills and workforce knowledge while gaining work experience specific to the early learning and child care workforce."

Excerpt: "Prince Edward Island continues to increase access to early learning and child care across the province. More than 230 affordable child care spaces are being added across the province, with five additional early childhood centres receiving an official Early Years Centre designation from the province. Increasing the number of designated Early Years Centres helps to grow access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive child care services for Island children and families."

Excerpt: "Through the Canada–Prince Edward Island Canada-wide agreement and its investments, the Province has reduced child care fees to $25 a day as of January 1, 2022, representing a meaningful step in reaching an average reduction in fees of 50% by the end of 2022. This is one of the milestones toward achieving an average of $10 a day for early learning and child care within Prince Edward Island’s designated Early Years Centres and Family Home Centres by the end of 2024, two years ahead of schedule. To increase the supply of early learning and child care spaces, the Province will create 452 new licensed child care spaces by the end of fiscal year 2022–23 to ensure more families can access child care. The Province will create these new child care spaces predominantly in publicly managed early years centres, as well as in family home child care."

Excerpt: "Parents or guardians of school aged children, who had to find alternate child care because of the extended closure of their child’s school between October 3-7, will get help through the Fiona Child Care Allowance Program. If parents accessed care through a licensed centre, the centre will be paid directly to cover up to $20 per day per child. Parents who accessed private care, such as a babysitter or non-licensed program, can apply for funding at Fiona Child Care Allowance Program. The Province will also cover the parent-fees for all families with children in licensed early learning and child care centres, if the centre was not able to open between October 3-7 due to damages from hurricane Fiona. Parents do not need to apply for this, it will be automatically paid to their centre."

Government announces additional child-care subsidies and 300 child-care spaces.

Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres, with the agreement of the Department of Health and Wellness, will increase speech-language services to French-speaking families and focus on preventing communication disorders in young children through parent workshops and training for early childhood educators and other caregivers. $267,000 for the three-year pre-school initiative is provided by the Official Languages Health Contribution Program.

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

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.

The province will consult Nova Scotians on a new early years strategy. As part of the initiative, the government released a discussion paper and has appointed a nine-member advisory council.

Following consultations with Nova Scotians over the summer, the provincial government released a report, "Giving Children the Best Start - The Early Years: Discussion Paper," summarizing findings. An advisory council will use the report formulate recommendations on priorities for the early years.

During the 2013 Throne Speech it was announced that thegovernment is establishing a Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, to better coordinate and improve the many ways that the province supports infants, young children, and their families in the first years of life. The Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development will outline the immediate action and multi-year goals for Nova Scotia to make the most of the early years, with both prevention and support that will become available as the plan unfolds.