Federal, provincial and territorial ministers* most responsible for early learning and child care gathered on November 29 in Charlottetown to advance shared priorities. The meeting was co-chaired by the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Canada's Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, and the Honourable Rob Lantz, Prince Edward Island's Minister of Education and Early Years.
Left to right, Ministers most responsible for early learning and child care: Hon. Pamela Gross (Nunavut), Hon. Rob antz (Prince Edward Island), Hon. Jill Dunlop (Ontario), Hon. Jenna Sudds (Canada), Hon. Tracy Schmidt (Manitoba), and Hon. Jeanie McLean (Yukon)
The ministers acknowledged that a thriving workforce is critical to ensuring high-quality and inclusive early learning and child care. Building on the work of last year's meeting, ministers reviewed a jointly developed draft Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Workforce Strategy and discussed a path forward for working together on common goals to stabilize and support the early learning and child care workforce. Ministers recognized that each government can conduct its own engagements on the strategy, such as engaging further with Indigenous governments, communities and organizations. Ministers also recognized that they retain responsibility and authority over how the strategy is implemented in their respective jurisdictions.
The draft strategy builds on the work that all provinces and territories have accomplished over the past three years to strengthen their workforces, such as wage incentives and benefits for workers. The strategy provides a framework to support ministers, in accordance with their respective plans and priorities, as they continue to work toward their shared goal of providing more families in Canada with access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care, no matter where they live. The draft strategy is centred around three pillars: recruitment, retention and recognition. As a result of a working group led by Ontario on workforce mobility and foreign credential recognition (under the recruitment pillar), the strategy also highlights opportunities that can be leveraged within the early learning and child care sector.
During the meeting, federal, provincial and territorial ministers reflected on the significant work that has taken place to strengthen early learning and child care across Canada. Building on this foundation, ministers discussed the critical importance of prioritizing collaborative work toward the long-term sustainability and adequate funding of the Canada-wide early learning and child care system from all federal, provincial and territorial governments. And, as stated in the Canada Early Learning and Child Care Act, the Government of Canada commits to maintaining long-term funding for early learning and child care programs and services.
The ministers also used the meeting as an opportunity to mark the collective achievements of the past year, highlighting that the families of over 750,000 children across Canada are already benefiting from affordable, high-quality child care. They also discussed the critical importance of meeting the unique needs of local communities, including Indigenous communities, in their early learning and child care systems.
November 29's discussions represent the third meeting of the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Forum of Ministers Most Responsible for Early Learning and Child Care. Established in 2022, the Forum serves as a table for ministers most responsible for early learning and child care to discuss common priorities, share information and best practices, and set priorities for multilateral collaboration in areas of shared interest. This year marks the end of Prince Edward Island's tenure as co-chair of the Forum. Manitoba will now assume the role of co-chair. All provinces and territories are members of the Forum except Quebec, which participates as an observer only.
Looking ahead to the fourth meeting of the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Forum of Ministers Most Responsible for Early Learning and Child Care, ministers have agreed to next steps for the Forum's work. These include continuing collaboration to strengthen common approaches to data collection, such as sharing best practices, respective priorities and challenges, as well as continuing recognition of the key role and contribution of early childhood educators in providing high-quality child care.
* To preserve its exclusive jurisdiction over child care and to maintain sole responsibility for the planning, organization, delivery and rollout of early learning and child care services in the province, Quebec participates in the Forum as an observer only. Quebec is not bound by this news release, is not part of the Canada-wide early learning and child care system and is not involved in any of the associated work.
* Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia's ministers were not in attendance and their officials participated in the meeting as observers only. Saskatchewan does not endorse any policies or initiatives in this news release that are not previous commitments.
Quotes
"It's important that we all meet, but what's most important is that we deliver. Federal, provincial and territorial governments walk away from this meeting united, with a common goal to act with urgency and make $10-a-day child care a reality across the country by March 2026. To achieve affordability and reduce waitlists, it is crucial to recruit, retain and recognize the workforce whose work supports a sustainable child care system. We have a responsibility to ensure early childhood educators have the wages, training and career development opportunities they need and deserve families are counting on us."
- The Honourable Jenna Sudds, Canada's Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
"Growing and stabilizing the early learning and child care sector is a critical investment in the health and well-being of our children, families and communities. Through further collaboration across multiple levels of government, we will continue to deliver affordable, accessible and high-quality early learning and child care for our residents. At the same time, we will ensure this sector's workforce is valued appropriately and provided the opportunities they need to meet their profession's high standards."
- The Honourable Rob Lantz, Prince Edward Island's Minister of Education and Early Years
