News & Stories: Nunavut

Excerpt: "That’s why, today, the Governments of Canada and Nunavut announced $10.9 million over four years, with $7.9 million through 2025–2026, to help build more inclusive child care spaces across Nunavut through the Government of Canada’s $625 million Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. This investment will help Nunavut reach the shared goal of building 238 new child care spaces by 2026."

Excerpt: "The purpose of the Strategic Action Plan is to provide guidance and direction on inclusion and equity to all early learning and child care stakeholders in Nunavut for three years from 2023-2026. Its scope includes enhancing inclusion and equity for children with disabilities, children needing enhanced or individual supports, Indigenous – in particular Inuit – children, Black and other racialized children, children in foster care, and official language minority children. This Strategic Action Plan also aims to ensure that vulnerable children and children from diverse backgrounds have access to licensed child care spaces. To achieve this, the Government of Nunavut is committed to work together with all partners and stakeholders, while also taking a leadership role in its sphere of responsibility."

Excerpt: "The aim of the Nunavut Early Learning and Child Care Quality Framework is to present a clear and accessible vision for ELCC in Nunavut that supports the development and delivery of ELCC programs and services across the territory. Whether this takes place in the home, child care settings, community-based programs, or parenting centres in remote or urban communities, all ELCC programs developed and delivered in Nunavut should align with the vision and guiding principles presented in this framework."

Excerpt: "Nunavut's Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Wage Scale Program recommends a minimum wage that should be provided to ELCC staff. To promote the scale's implementation and the recruitment and retention of dedicated ELCC staff, this new program accepts applications from licensed child care centres for contribution funding to top up their staff compensation to levels outlined in the scale. This initiative provides contribution funding to licensed child care centres serving children aged 0-6.The goal is to ensure that ELCC staff receive equitable compensation for their crucial role in promoting the growth and well-being of all children. The ELCC Wage Scale outlines distinct wage levels across four categories: Management; Early childhood educator; Program support; Centre support."

Excerpt: "The Governments of Canada and Nunavut today announced a three-year plan to improve and expand early learning and child care (ELCC) services in the territory. This is part of the Canada-Nunavut ELCC Agreement for 2021-2026. This plan, rooted in Nunavut’s strong partnerships with Inuit organizations, sets a road map for strengthening and expanding Nunavut’s child care sector, improving access to high-quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive child care for the territory’s families."

Excerpt: "The Department of Education has launched full-day kindergarten in five Nunavut schools. The schools participating are: Nanook School, Apex; Qaqqalik School, Kimmirut; Victor Sammurtok School, Chesterfield Inlet; Inuglak School, Whale Cove; Jimmy Hikok Ilihakvik, Kugluktuk. The 2023-2024 Full-Day Kindergarten Pilot is the first step to help guide a phased system-wide rollout."

Excerpt: "This document summarizes information on training gaps in the field of early childhood education in Inuit Nunangat. It was developed to inform future investments in early childhood education, as well as policy and program development in the field. While this project did not undertake a rigorous research process, nor an exhaustive literature review, Inuit regional partners were engaged at every stage. The resulting document gives a voice to representatives working on the ground with child care centres."

Excerpt: "The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Nunavut, announced funding for a project to provide capacity to expand the availability of preschool programs for children ages 3 to 5 years of age living in communities across Nunavut.

“We want children to achieve their full potential,” said Minister Aglukkaq. “That’s why we are investing to have qualified early childhood educators deliver culturally relevant programs that prepare Nunavut children for school and a good start in life.”"

Excerpt: "Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Aboriginal Head Start Strategic Fund, the Government of Canada invests $3 million annually in support of initiatives that benefit the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC) program.

Today’s funding announcement of over $1 million will support a project led by the Nunavut Arctic College in partnership with the Government of Nunavut Department of Education to increase the quality and the availability of early childhood care and programming such as AHSUNC; and to establish an approach that will build early childhood development capacity across three regions in Nunavut."

Excerpt: "The government responds to the release of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated’s Report on the State of Inuit Culture and Society – The Status of Children and Youth, stating that "the future of Nunavut depends on ensuring the health and well-being of our children today."

Excerpt: "$1.6 M to the Nunavut Arctic College to support a new law program in partnership with the University of Saskatchewan, launching this fall. The GN is also providing $1.3M to help the College fund its Social Worker and Early Childhood Education programs."

Excerpt: "The Government of Canada will provide $189 million in funding over 10 years to the Government of Nunavut for community-based programs covering four broad areas: healthy children, families and communities; healthy living; mental wellness; and home and community care."