Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "Proposed changes to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Regulations and Canada Student Loans Regulations, pre-published today in the Canada Gazette, Part I, will allow early childhood educators, dentists, dental hygienists, pharmacists, midwives, teachers, social workers, psychologists, personal support workers and physiotherapists to be eligible for student loan forgiveness. These changes are expected to increase the number of loan forgiveness beneficiaries by about 8,000 starting in 2025–26 and by up to 19,000 in 2034–35. It is estimated that over 10 years, more than 27,000 professionals would be encouraged to move to rural and remote areas due to this benefit."

Excerpt: "The new dual-track French and English K-8 school will be located on Castlebrook Drive between Landover Drive and Skyline Drive. It will also include 74 infant and preschool child-care spaces. The Pembina Trails School Division has seen a 17 per cent growth in students since 2019 and this school will be designed with potential future expansion in mind to accommodate enrolment growth into the coming years, said the minister."

Excerpt: "Today, the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Honourable Susan Holt, Premier of New Brunswick and the Honourable Claire Johnson, New Brunswick’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, announced an agreement that will enable New Brunswick to support school breakfast programs at an additional 160 schools across the province, reaching over 57,000 additional kids this school year. This will help New Brunswick reach their goal of establishing a universal breakfast program across all New Brunswick schools."

Excerpt: "This budget proposes $10.5 million to make child care more affordable, helping parents participate more fully in the formal labour force. The Government of the Northwest Territories will continue to advocate to the federal government to increase compensation levels of early child care staff to align with education assistants in the K-12 system."

Excerpt: "Children and families in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) and East Hants will have more options and improved access to child care with up to 286 new spaces. Through Nova Scotia’s child-care space creation programs, the Province is providing $7.6 million to support six child-care operators to add the spots. “These investments are opening more access to affordable child care to help families in our fastest growing regions,” said Brendan Maguire, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “By investing in child care, we invest in families to participate in the workforce and grow our economy.”"

Excerpt: "Families in Cape Breton Regional Municipality are getting more access to child care with the addition of up to 49 spaces in Glace Bay. New Dawn Enterprises, a non-profit community organization, received funding to create the spaces, which will be located in its Glace Bay Youth and Family Centre."

Excerpt: "Alberta’s government and the Government of Canada are investing $53 million over two years in the Building Blocks Capital Grant Program to encourage the creation of new child-care spaces. The funds will help Alberta’s child-care providers create more affordable, high-quality spaces where Alberta families need them most. The grant will provide non-profit and public child-care providers the capital to build, expand, upgrade and make repairs to their existing facilities. These improvements must support the creation of new child-care spaces."

Excerpt: "Starting Apr. 1, parents with children zero to kindergarten age attending full-time licensed daycare facilities and family day home programs across the province will be eligible for a flat parent fee of $326.25 per month, or roughly $15 a day. Parents requiring part-time care will pay $230 per month. To support these changes and high-quality child care, about 85 per cent of licensed daycare providers will receive a funding increase once the new fee structure is in place on Apr. 1."

Excerpt: "The Ontario government is investing $1.3 billion to build 30 new schools and 15 school expansions across Ontario, creating more than 25,000 new student spaces and more than 1,600 new licensed child care spaces. The investments address critical needs in growing areas of the province to provide students with modern learning spaces to help them achieve success."

Excerpt: "The Ontario government is investing $1.3 billion to support new school buildings, school expansions and renovations across the province. This funding for infrastructure projects through the 2024-25 Capital Priorities Program will lead to the creation of more than 25,000 new student spaces and more than 1,600 new licensed child care spaces across 23 school boards."

Excerpt: "Continue implementing ChildCareBC to improve access to accessible, affordable
child care; Work with school districts to expand before- and after-school care programs across
the province using cost-effective models for parents and the public that leverage
existing school facilities and education workers."

Excerpt: "The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a review of the certification process for early childhood educators. The RFP is seeking a vendor to evaluate the current certification process for early childhood educators and propose recommendations to shift to a competency-based approach to certification. A high-quality early learning workforce is a key component to ensuring the affordability, inclusivity and quality of early learning and child care programming in Newfoundland and Labrador."