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June 4, 2025

Early Learning Framework, First Edition

Excerpt: "The Northwest Territories (NWT) Early Learning Framework has been inspired and adapted, with permission, from British Columbia's Early Learning Framework (2019), which aligns with our vision of supporting a child-centred, culturally responsive, and inclusive approach to early learning and child care. In addition, early learning frameworks across Canada and other countries were reviewed and guided our work, particularly: New Brunswick Curriculum Framework for Early Learning and Child Care (2008); Capable, Confident, and Curious: Nova Scotia’s Early Learning Curriculum Framework (2018); Nunavut Early Learning and Child Care Quality Framework (2023); How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years (2014); Flight Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Framework (2014); Belonging, Being & Becoming The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (2022); Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa New Zealand's Early Learning Curriculum (2017). While these documents provide a foundation, the NWT Early Learning Framework (framework) is meant to reflect the unique needs, values and cultures of educators, children, families, and communities of the NWT. The framework is meant to build on the valuable work already established in supporting the care and teaching of young children in the NWT, while intending to leave space for future direction."
Outdoor and Risky Play – From Expert Voices to Practical PD
June 3, 2025

Webinar: Outdoor and Risky Play – From Expert Voices to Practical PD

On June 3 we joined Veroushka Coronel (Professor and Field Liaison, George Brown College) and Hilary Bartlett (Learn Through Active Play) for an engaging discussion as we took a deeper dive into the value of risky and outdoor play in early learning environments. This webinar explored the developmental and well-being benefits of outdoor play for both children and educators, clarified the role of "risk" in early years programs, and highlighted practical strategies and professional learning opportunities to enhance implementation in child care settings.
May 28, 2025

Government of Yukon announces new 10-year strategy to improve student outcomes

Excerpt: "The Government of Yukon has introduced the Integrated Outcome Strategy for Yukon Learners, a comprehensive 10-year strategy designed to help ensure that every Yukon student from Kindergarten to Grade 12 can achieve their best results. This strategy aims to close achievement gaps across the territory and reimagine the Yukon’s education system for the future. This strategy directly responds to the 2019 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Yukon Legislative Assembly, Kindergarten through Grade 12 Education in Yukon, which recommended developing a structured approach to improving student outcomes. Guided by 10 values and four key paths, the strategy will introduce more coordinated and responsive approaches to meet students’ needs."
May 26, 2025

Made in Nunavut early learning resources now available online

Excerpt: "The Department of Education is pleased to announce the launch of a new online early learning resources section on the Government of Nunavut website. This online section features a wide range of culturally and linguistically appropriate early learning resources already in use at licensed child care centres, now freely accessible to parents, caregivers, the public and community organizations. Several resources were developed in collaboration with the Qikiqtani Inuit Association. This new resource section supports early learning at home and in the community, in line with the goals of the Nunavut Early Learning and Child Care Quality Framework. Resources include storybooks, audiobooks, teaching materials, videos, music and tools like the Move your Bodies! physical education video series that can provide fun at home, or skill-building resources such as the Early Learning Pre-Printing Skills Book for early Inuktut printing skills."
May 23, 2025

Governments of Canada, Manitoba Raising Wages for Early Childhood Educators

Excerpt: "The Manitoba government is increasing wages for early childhood educators (ECE), with funding from the Canada-Manitoba Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. The increase will be applied to all ECEs and is the biggest increase in Manitoba history, federal Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu and Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt announced today. “In order to provide families in Canada with high-quality, affordable child care, we need to support the early childhood education workforce with better compensation,” said Hajdu. “Development that happens in early childhood plays a big role in future learning, so it’s important to keep highly trained, qualified people in this field and also attract future educators who want to build safe and inclusive spaces where all children are welcomed, accepted, and nurtured.” The wage grid sets target wages for various positions within the early learning and child-care sector. This year’s wage grid focuses on frontline early childhood educators wages, for an increase of up to $5 an hour depending on certification level and the size of the child-care centre. The new wage grid will take effect retroactively to April 1."