Policy Monitor

Excerpt: "Approximately 180,000 families will begin receiving the B.C. Early Childhood Tax Benefit starting April 1, 2015. It provides up to $660 a year for each child under the age of six, to help with the cost of child care. The cost of this program will be $146 million annually beginning in 2015-16. Also available starting this year is the Training and Education Savings grant—a one-time payment of $1,200 for every child resident in B.C. who was born since January 1, 2007. As many as 40,000 children may be eligible every year, once they turn six."

Except: "The Manitoba government has established a commission to look at ways to redesign Manitoba’s early learning and child-care system to guide future plans including developing options to create universally accessible early learning and child care for all Manitoba families who need it, Family Services Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross said today."

Excerpt: "A stronger emphasis on math and literacy in the early grades is one of the initiatives parents and students will see next September from a new five-year education action plan."

Excerpt: "Child-care providers throughout B.C. can now apply for the second phase of major capital funding under the B.C. Early Years Strategy, which will create 1,000 new licensed child-care spaces in 2015-16. These spaces are in addition to the 1,006 new child-care spaces government announced Nov. 2014."

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey announced Jan. 20, the government will address four key areas of early intervention to improve services to children and their families. The four areas are: improving access to early intervention for families; strengthening early intervention programs across the province; supporting and developing the early intervention workforce; aligning early intervention programs with the early years system and the public school system.

Starting January 2015, Ontario is implementing a wage increase of $1 per hour for eligible child care workers in the licensed child care sector. Another wage increase is set for next year.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development wants to ensure Nova Scotia child-care operators have quality programs in place that meet the needs of all children to help them reach their full potential," said Education and Early Childhood Development Karen Casey.

To help make child care more affordable for parents, the Provincial Government is launching a voluntary Operating Grant Program. Through a total investment of $9.7 million, an annual operating grant will be given to eligible licensed child care centres to help offset some of the costs associated with providing child care.

Excerpt: "[December 2], Bill 10, the Child Care Modernization Act, 2014, passed third reading in the Ontario legislature. The legislation will strengthen oversight of the province's unlicensed child care sector and increase access to licensed child care options for families. In addition, it will allow the province to immediately shut down a child care provider when a child's safety is at risk."

A snapshot of children’s developmental health at school entry.

Excerpt: "“I am extremely pleased to expand our existing newborn screening program to ensure the early detection of even more conditions, including cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia,” said the Minister. “It will also mean better support and follow-up service will be in place for the improved health of Island children.”"

Excerpt: "“Our government has been building one of the best early learning and child-care systems in Canada. Today, I am happy to announce our government is continuing to build on that system by supporting a child-care expansion of up to 6,000 sq. ft. at Harrow School,” said Bjornson. “Early childhood education is critical for laying the foundation for Manitoba’s children to get a good start in life and child care gives parents the option to go back to work or return to school.”"