News & Stories: Yukon

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."

Excerpt: "The Early Learning and Child Care Act (2025) Bill No. 48 received assent today in the Yukon Legislative Assembly, marking a significant milestone in modernizing child care legislation in the territory. This new Act will replace an outdated law and align the Yukon’s early learning and child care system with best practices across Canada. Developed through extensive collaboration with early childhood educators, families, Yukon First Nations and stakeholders, the Act reflects the voices and concerns of Yukoners. It enshrines the principles of quality, accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring Yukon children and families receive the best possible care and support. For the first time, the Yukon’s early childhood educators and the process for their certification are officially recognized in law, highlighting their role as professionals. The new Act also ensures that licensed child care providers pay educators fair wages, with regulations outlining how they must be paid. This will help guarantee professional wages for professional educators, supporting high quality in early learning programs."

Excerpt: "Since 2019 the department has made progress on several initiatives to address systemic inequities and achieve better student outcomes. Here are some of the highlights: Launching the Universal Early Learning and Child Care model and continuing to invest in high quality, accessible and affordable early learning programs for Yukon
children. This supports positive outcomes for children and helps to close gaps in student achievement; Further enhancing early learning through the provision of kindergarten and full-day kindergarten in rural communities to provide children with opportunities to engage in developmentally appropriate, play-based curriculum for longer periods (over two years), which fosters deeper understanding and development of solid foundational skills as they enter grade one; The department has continued to work with the First Nation School Board and the Chiefs Committee on Education to support the successes of the First Nation School Board, which operates eleven Yukon schools and develops and implements Indigenous language and culture education programs and programs designed to improve student outcomes within the education system; At the same time, the department has continued to work directly with Yukon First Nation governments to address joint education priorities through several collaborative initiatives inclusive of work on the Collaboration Framework and the next Joint Education Action Plan; The department has also continued work to advance the Review of Inclusive and Special Education (RISE) and to advance the RISE workplan which was co-developed with Yukon First Nations Education Commissioners and Advisory Committee for Yukon Education."

Excerpt: "The progress report highlights the Department of Education's dedication to meaningful systemic changes designed to improve student outcomes. Since 2019, the Department of Education has launched several initiatives to address the gaps in the Yukon’s education system and to improve student outcomes. These include: launching the Universal Child Care model; launching enhanced early kindergarten and full day kindergarten in most rural communities; working with the Chiefs Committee on Education to establish the First Nation School Board; finalizing a Collaboration Framework with Yukon First Nations; completing the Review of Inclusive and Special Education; advancing the Reimagining Inclusive and Special Education (RISE) work plan, which was developed with partners; developing a Comprehensive Mental Health and Wellness Approach that aligns with the Yukon’s Forward Together: Mental Wellness Strategy; launching the Ready-to-Learn Schools initiative; creating a data sharing agreement with Yukon First Nations and releasing publicly available student data reports; and initiating work and engagement on an Integrated Outcome for Yukon Learner Strategy, which will look at root causes of poor student outcomes, develop targets and evaluate progress on closing gaps."

Excerpt: "We are investing in upgrading school infrastructure across the Yukon, including the relocation of École Whitehorse Elementary School, building the Kêts’ádań Kų̀ School in Burwash Landing, and starting the work to consult on building a new school in downtown Whitehorse. We are supporting families and helping young people get the right start in life by increasing the number of early learning and childcare spaces. We are also investing in education professionals, continuing to support strong wages for early childhood educators, signing a new collective agreement with Yukon teachers, and hiring more educators and school staff."

Excerpt: "Through the National School Food Program, the Government of Canada will invest approximately $7.4 million over the next three years for things like upgrading school food kitchen facilities, purchasing food and offering more nutritious meals to students. These enhancements are particularly significant for remote communities in the Yukon and will provide children most affected by food insecurity with access to more consistent and nutritious meals at school."

Excerpt: "Our government is committed to providing Yukoners with high-quality early learning and child care that is affordable, accessible and inclusive. Throughout these discussions, my focus was on bringing the Yukon to the forefront. This includes highlighting the importance of the Government of Canada’s support for the Yukon’s school food programs. Once finalized, the new National School Food Program agreement will help expand these programs, ensuring that more children across the territory receive the nutritious meals they need. This program would benefit families, support the economy and directly invests in our children’s health, education and future."

Excerpt: "Since the implementation of universal child care in April 2021, and as of March 31, 2024, a total of 477 additional child care spaces have been created in Pelly Crossing, Whitehorse, Ross River, and Dawson. These programs continue to expand and grow, benefiting more children and their families. As of March 31, 2024, 1,896 children and their families were benefiting from universal child care, saving up to $8,400 a year per child enrolled in a licensed program. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the department provided $9,788,917 to licensed programs to support wages and benefits for early childhood educators. Additionally, Yukon families saved $14,153,927 in child care costs through the Government of Yukon’s universal child care and subsidy programs. During this period, 87 bursaries were awarded, including 85 part-time and two full-time bursaries. Of the full-time bursaries, one recipient was from a rural community and one from a Whitehorse French-language program. Twenty-three of the part-time bursaries went to recipients in rural Yukon."

Excerpt: "Today, the Government of Yukon launched the Yukon’s Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Infrastructure Fund, supported by a $7.7 million investment under the Canada-Yukon ELCC Infrastructure Fund Agreement signed in March 2024. This new initiative underscores the Government of Yukon's ongoing commitment to supporting children and families by investing in affordable, accessible and inclusive high-quality early learning and child care. The fund is designed to support current and prospective owners of not-for-profit early learning and child care centres in creating new spaces and improving the accessibility of existing programs. The funding program focuses on four priorities identified during engagement on modernizing the Child Care Act."

Excerpt: "Rural operators in particular pointed out the increased costs in small Yukon communities, lower incomes within rural families and the necessity for foundational supports in early learning and child care programs such as meal programs, and at times, provisions like diapers and suitable clothing for children. In the early childhood educators’ sessions, there was a call for increased wages and benefits such as sick leave. For some, it was about access to funding to upgrade their education and the possibility of expanded bursary programs to support post-secondary early learning and child care education"

Excerpt: "But more families need access to affordable child care. That’s why, today in Whitehorse, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, joined the Honourable Jeanie McLean, Yukon’s Minister of Education and Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, to announce $10.5 million over four years, with $7.7 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across the Yukon through the Government of Canada’s $625-million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. The Yukon has already far exceeded the shared goal of building 110 new child care spaces by 2026, and this investment will further help the territory. Through this Fund, all provinces and territories will be able to make further investments in child care, so more families can save up to $14,300 on child care every year, per child. These investments will aim to support families in rural and remote communities, as well as families in communities that face barriers to access, such as racialized groups, Indigenous Peoples, newcomers, official language minority communities, and children, parents and employees with disabilities. Funding may also be used to support infrastructure to provide care during non-standard hours."

Excerpt: "Providing affordable child care: $42.5 million in continued funding for early learning and child care."