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In this series, early childhood officials in Canada explore initiatives to improve workforce conditions and accessibility to child care. Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac from Mount Saint Vincent University discusses Nova Scotia’s efforts to enhance public education for 4-year-olds, while addressing affordability and accessibility issues. This initiative promotes equitable, high-quality early childhood education, benefiting children and families across the province.

In this presentation, Kim Hiscott, Executive Director of Andrew Fleck Child Care Services in Ottawa, explores how integrating child care services can strengthen and stabilize the delivery of care in the region. She discusses the advantages of consolidation for accessibility, efficiency, and quality, while highlighting best practices for supporting the ECE workforce and expanding child care access through strategic collaboration.

In this presentation, Matthias Rust, Director of Strategic Policy and Intergovernmental Relations, shares Manitoba’s approach to inclusive early childhood education. It explores the province’s commitment to ensuring all licensed child care facilities provide inclusive programming that addresses the diverse needs of children. The session also highlights the Ready to Move project which aims to build high-quality child care spaces.

In this session, Beth Dhuey, Kerry McCuaig, and Dr. Emis Akbari discuss the cost-benefits of public child care, focusing on its social and economic advantages. They highlight how divesting from public programs has led to job loss, reduced community standards, and decreased access for vulnerable groups.

In this session, Kerry McCuaig, Fellow in Early Childhood Policy at the Atkinson Centre/OISE, examines how changes in ECE delivery are tracked, with a focus on the UK model. Survey findings on child care providers, staffing, and parent fees highlight how data can inform policies to enhance accessibility, affordability, and support for the ECE workforce.

This presentation explores Manitoba’s approach to expanding access to ECE through the Ready to Move Project, Post-Secondary Institution Child Care Expansion Project, and School-Based Child Care Centre Expansion Project. Matthias Rust and Pam Wever discuss how the province is addressing the demand for equitable child care by increasing licensed spaces and improving accessibility through a coordinated expansion process.

This Atkinson Centre blog examines the struggles faced by Early Childhood Educators in Canada, who face low wages, part-time work, and limited career prospects. With a growing child care workforce shortage, this blog suggests that better pay could be the key to enhancing job satisfaction, retaining educators and addressing the increasing demand for new child care spaces.

In this article, Dr. Emis Akbari and Kerry McCuaig highlight the paradox in Canada’s child care system: despite government efforts to increase affordability through policies, access remains a challenge for families due to limited availability, long waitlists, and inadequate infrastructure. They emphasize the need for continued investment and policy adjustments to ensure accessibility for all.

This Atkinson Centre blog highlights the workforce challenges facing Northern Ontario's early childhood education sector. Despite the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care agreement aiming to improve access and affordability, issues still persist. The blog emphasizes the need for tailored situations, including fair wages, better funding models, and policies that address Northern Ontario to ensure access to quality child care.

This Atkinson Centre weekly blog explores the Knowing Our Numbers study, revealing critical challenges in Ontario's early childhood education workforce. The study reveals a workforce under stress due to severe staffing shortages, burnout, and low wages, with minimal wage increases despite federal funding. Knowing Our Numbers provides key insights which are crucial to shaping policies to better support the sector.