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Excerpt: "Early Kindergarten in-school programming is for children who are 4 years old on or before December 31 of the school year. It provides a literacy rich, play-based learning environment which encourages children to learn through authentic experiences and enhances a child's emotional, social and cognitive development. Early Kindergarten programs can support and enrich children’s early learning experiences through building strong relationships, nurturing well-being and belonging, promoting communication and literacies, and helping children to build a positive personal and cultural identity."

The Atkinson Centre promotes research on child development, and the development of early learning policy and practice that serve young children and their families.

Posted on The Conversation.

Excerpt: "Today’s Liberals have shown more gumption than in 2005 when they caved in to provincial demands in their rush to get everyone on side before the opposition forced an election. To date, Ottawa has stood firm on its criteria for non-profit delivery, better trained staff and — what they’re banking on as the vote-grabber — marked-down fees for parents. Any provincial proposals coming forward without these pillars get sent back to their respective capitals."

Excerpt: "Under the 2021–22 to 2024–25 Canada–Northwest Territories Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, the Northwest Territories will invest in: improving access to post-secondary education programs and professional development for early childhood educators; distributing cultural education resources; ensuring health and safety in child care centres; offsetting the cost of equipment supporting quality play-based environments; and increasing the number of child care spaces. This four-year agreement builds on the commitments made in the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework and ensures that funding continues to be available to support licensed early learning and child care programs and services for families in the Northwest Territories until March 2025."

Excerpt: "In addition to significantly reducing the cost of child care, federal funding of close to $1.1 billion over the next five years will lead to the creation of 28,000 new regulated early learning and child care spaces to help ensure Saskatchewan families with children under six years old can access child care spaces that meet their needs. Federal funding will support the expansion of these new child care spaces in not-for-profit child care centres, small child care facilities and home-based child care."

Excerpt: "Through the agreement, the Government of Canada is providing over $10 million in funding over four years to Nunavut to improve access to high quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive early learning and child care programs and services. In addition, the Government of Canada is making a one-time investment of over $2.8 million in 2021-2022 to support Nunavut’s early childhood educator recruitment and retention efforts. Under the 2021–2022 to 2024–2025 Canada–Nunavut Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, Nunavut will allocate funding to continue supporting and maintaining access to affordable early learning and child care programs by supporting the healthy development of children, creating more spaces in underserved communities, investing in training and professional development opportunities for early childhood educator and developing culturally appropriate educational programming resources."

Excerpt: "Under the 2021–2022 to 2024–2025 Canada–New Brunswick Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, New Brunswick will continue to collaborate with the childcare sector and maintain the New Brunswick Early Learning facility designation to ensure all families and children in the province have access to high-quality, affordable child care in the official language of their choice. The agreement focuses on strengthening the early childhood workforce, particularly around inclusive practices through training and mentorship, while addressing recruitment and retention challenges. Actions include implementing a marketing campaign to promote the profession and establishing a process for the recognition of early childhood education credentials obtained outside of Canada."

Excerpt: "Through the agreement, the Government of Canada is providing over $16 million in funding over four years to Prince Edward Island to improve access to high quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive early learning and child care programs and services. Under the 2021–2022 to 2024–2025 Canada–Prince Edward Island Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, Prince Edward Island will allocate funding to increase access to affordable, inclusive and high-quality early learning and child care spaces, including for those with parents who work non-standard hours, for children of all abilities or needing individual or enhanced supports, and to invest in training to support early childhood educators."

Excerpt: "Under the 2021–2022 to 2024–2025 Canada–Yukon Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, Yukon will allocate funding to further build universal access to early learning and child care for all Yukon families, including increasing the current subsidy system and increasing training and certification opportunities for child care providers. The current Yukon Early Learning and Child Care Funding Program reduces parent fees by up to $700 per child per month for full-time participation in licenced child care programs, and provides a minimum wage of nearly $30 an hour to fully qualified educators.

This four-year agreement builds on the commitments made in the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework and ensures that funding continues to be available to support child care programs and services for Yukon families until March 2025."

Excerpt: "Through the agreement, the Government of Canada is providing over $272 million in funding over four years to British Columbia to improve access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care programs and services. In addition, the Government of Canada is making a one-time investment of $48.8 million in 2021–2022 to support British Columbia’s early childhood educator recruitment and retention efforts."

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: "The federal funding of more than $1.2 billion over the next five years will also fund critical services for Manitoba families and children and grow a strong and skilled workforce of early childhood educators, including through the creation of a wage grid to support the attraction and retentions of early childhood educators. This agreement will also lead to the creation of 1,700 extended hour child care spaces for families requiring child care in the evening and on weekends as well as guaranteed child care spaces for children whose parents are transitioning into regular employment. The agreement will also support an early learning and child care system that is fully inclusive of children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports, and ensure all families have equitable access to high-quality, affordable programming."