The Atkinson Centre promotes research on child development, and the development of early learning policy and practice that serve young children and their families.
Presented by Zeenat Janmohamed, PhD, Executive Director and Senior Policy Analyst, Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development
December 5, 2023
Excerpt: "Under the Minor Infrastructure Program, existing or new licensed not-for-profit child-care providers can receive up to $250,000 for minor renovations that will increase child-care spaces, and up to another $25,000 for administrative expenses. The Family Home Start-Up Program will provide up to $7,500 to help people open a regulated site. Startup costs may include minor home improvements or purchasing materials and supplies to meet regulations and create quality early learning and child-care environments for children. These initiatives are part of the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which supports the child-care system so all families have access to affordable, high-quality and inclusive care when and where they need it."
Excerpt: "To build and maintain this system, we need qualified and well-supported educators, as they are the cornerstone of the child care system. The federal government remains committed to working with provincial and territorial governments to support the recruitment, retention and recognition of this essential workforce."
Presented by Kerry McCuaig, Senior Policy Fellow, Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development; and Emis Akbari, Professor and Program Coordinator, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College | Senior Policy Fellow, Atkinson Centre, OISE/University of Toronto, at Putting the Public into Early Learning and Child Care, December 1, 2023
Excerpt: "Early childhood educators are vital to support the growth and development of children within the province. The Department of Education remains engaged with early childhood educators through regular virtual town hall meetings. The Provincial Government continues to invest heavily in domestic recruitment and retention initiatives, including: Additional funding to post-secondary institutions to ensure early childhood education programs are more accessible and to increase the number of graduates; A needs-based grant to provide eligible students in approved program with non-repayable grants of up to $10,000; Creation of a bursary and wage grid bonus specific to Francophone early childhood educators; The Early Childhood Educator Recruitment and Retention Grant. to provide eligible early childhood educators with $2,500 upon initial certification and renewal of Level 1-4 certification, up to a maximum of $7,500; Implementation of a wage grid for early childhood educators in April 2023 to recognize the valuable contribution they make in supporting the children of the province."
November 30, 2023
The Atkinson Centre promotes research on child development, and the development of early learning policy and practice that serve young children and their families.
Excerpt: "School classes were cancelled and child care centres closed this week as public sector workers launched a series of indefinite strikes across Quebec. The buildup has been a long time coming. As far back as February 2022 Montreal’s downtown was filled with workers from several unions, warning they were ready to launch a general strike unless the government made a “respectable” offer. About half of Quebec’s child care workforce is unionized. For educators working in the province’s publicly managed child care sector this is their second work stoppage in three years. Rotating strikes in the fall of 2021 ended with an agreement that provided signing bonuses and wage increases between 12.5 and 18 per cent over three years."