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This 2016 review synthesizes more than three decades of research on what helps early childhood educators stay in the field. Drawing on 32 empirical studies, it identifies seven factors that shape workforce stability: wages and benefits, job satisfaction, organizational characteristics, education and training, demographic factors, job characteristics, and alternative employment opportunities. The review finds that higher pay, supportive workplaces, and access to professional development are consistently linked to stronger retention. Public and nonprofit centres that meet accreditation or policy standards show particularly low turnover, highlighting the value of sustained investment in a stable and qualified early learning workforce.

Gordon Cleveland is an economist and Associate Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto Scarborough who has spent more than thirty years studying early childhood education and policy design. His writings, featured on his blog at ChildcarePolicy.net, examine the economics of early learning and care, with a focus on workforce compensation, service quality, and the balance between for profit and non profit models. Cleveland brings an accessible, evidence informed perspective to issues such as universal low fee child care, tax credit models, and workforce challenges in Canada and internationally. His work offers valuable insights for policymakers, advocates, and practitioners working to build a high quality, accessible early learning and child care system.

Led by Child Care Now, Educators Matter is a three-year national initiative (2023–2026) focused on strengthening Canada’s early learning and child care (ELCC) workforce. The project examines how wages, benefits, professional development, and working conditions shape recruitment, retention, and quality across the system. Through research, policy mapping, and collaboration with educators, advocates, and policymakers, Educators Matter seeks to identify the gaps and opportunities in current workforce policy and practice.

This report reviews how provinces and territories across Canada are addressing early learning and child care workforce challenges through policy. It summarizes actions on wages, benefits, pensions, and workforce development, identifying key differences in how governments are implementing commitments under the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreements. The report highlights progress in improving compensation and professionalization but notes that uneven implementation continues to limit equity across jurisdictions. It calls for consistent national standards to ensure all early childhood educators are fairly paid and supported, regardless of where they work.

This report presents the results of province-wide surveys of early childhood educators and centre directors, exploring how wages, benefits, and professional development initiatives have shaped workforce stability since 2019. Findings show significant progress: most directors report higher job satisfaction and improved recruitment and retention following increases to the wage grid, the introduction of pensions, and access to post-secondary programs. Ongoing challenges include staffing shortages in rural areas and difficulties finding substitutes. The study highlights the importance of sustained investments in fair compensation and continuous learning to strengthen PEI’s early childhood workforce.

This study explores the factors shaping recruitment and retention in Hamilton’s early childhood education workforce. Drawing on interviews and survey responses from more than 120 educators, the research finds that low pay, heavy workloads, and limited opportunities for advancement remain significant barriers. Educators reported a lack of respect for their professional role, insufficient staff ratios, and a need for stronger workplace supports and benefits. The report offers concrete recommendations to improve educator well-being, strengthen professional recognition, and ensure sustainable workforce growth in Hamilton’s early learning sector.

This evaluation examines British Columbia’s Early Care and Learning Recruitment and Retention Strategy, part of the province’s ChildCareBC plan. The study draws on survey, census, and administrative data from 2019–2024 to assess progress toward building a stable, well-compensated, and valued ECE workforce. The report highlights modest gains in wages and professional development, alongside persistent staffing shortages and uneven progress toward long-term goals. It concludes with policy recommendations to strengthen career pathways, improve public recognition of ECEs, and align compensation with the broader education sector.

This chart assesses the adequacy of Early Childhood Educator (ECE) wages by region. It compares government subsidized wage rates for qualified educators working in licensed group child care centres participating in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan with the most recently available cost of living in their communities.

The New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity Inc. is a collective group of individuals and organizations dedicated to securing pay equity for women in undervalued sectors. The organization works through advocacy, policy development, and community outreach to raise awareness and push for economic justice. They aim to address gender-based pay disparities and highlight the value of work performed by women.

The Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC (CCCABC) advocates for a high-quality, affordable, and accessible child care system. The organization supports community-based, non-profit child care, including Indigenous-led programs, and works to improve compensation and working conditions for educators. They promote public education and mobilization on child care issues.