The Conversation Canada recently conducted a study to look at the federal Canada-wide early learning and child-care plan (CWELCC) three years after the program’s launch, concluding that, across the country, “care is less expensive, but finding it is more difficult”.

The Early Childhood Education Report includes detailed profiles for each province and territory, identifies developments in child-care enrolment, affordability, funding, workforce compensation, administration and quality by province and territory. The data reflects the period from March 2020 to March 2023.

Scott White, CEO/Editor-in-Chief of The Conversation, picked out key points from the report in an article on April 2nd:

·      New Brunswick had the highest scores “reflecting its efforts to support child-care operators to add spaces, while supporting program quality”.

·      All provinces and territories have met their affordability targets, reducing parent costs by 50% by the 2022 deadline.

·      Whilst parents with access to child care are enjoying savings, “More than 60% of parents wanting child care reported difficulties finding it, up from 53% in 2019. As a result, roughly one in three respondents said they had to change their work or study schedules, work fewer hours, or delay their return to work.”

·      “Expansion is curtailed where governments offer insufficient funding to meet the actual cost of new builds and renovations. The major roadblock to opening new spaces, however, is staffing shortages.”

·      “The federal government has given one-off infusions to help stem the workforce exodus. Most jurisdictions have used the money to improve educator wages.”

·      Despite expressing concerns about the CWELCC funding agreements, “provincial and territorial governments could, of course, add their own funding, but few have done so. Relying on federal funds is now the norm.”

The British Columbia profile is available at: https://ecereport.ca/media/uploads/2023-profiles/ecer2023-profile_bc_draft_14-_2405-08.pdf This British Columbia profile captures early learning and child care initiatives to March 31, 2023.

The New Developments section highlights activities occurring after this date:

·      Starting in September 2023, the Child Care Fee Reduction was expanded to include children enrolled in licensed preschools and children in Grade 1 to age 12. Families at participating licensed preschools and school-age child care facilities receive fee reductions of up to $145 per month per child.

·      The province’s new StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan, May 2, 2023, includes increasing early childhood education spaces in the province by 50 per cent, and opening 1,300 new training opportunities for early childhood educators.

·      Future skills grants of up to $3,500 for training costs became available starting in September 2023.

·      $10 a Day ChildCareBC Centres deliver low-cost child care while testing operating funding models as the province moves towards making child care a core service. As of Spring 2024, over 15,000 spaces have transitioned to $10 a day, and the province is on track to transition a total of 20,000 spaces by Spring 2026.

·      Seamless Day Kindergarten is a pilot project that integrates before- and after-school care into the Kindergarten classroom, delivered by certified early childhood educators who work alongside the classroom teacher. On May 15, 2023, the pilot received $4.1 million to support the program in 45 schools.

·      Announced on May 2, 2023, Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) will receive $9 million through the 2021–22 to 2025–26 Canada—British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. This funding will allow for the creation of approximately 100 new culturally relevant child care spaces for Métis children.