Canada – New Brunswick Early Learning and Child Care Agreement - 2021 to 2025

Canada-New Brunswick Early Learning and Child Care Agreement

Between:

• Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (hereinafter referred to as “Canada”) as represented by the Minister of Employment and Social Development (“Canada”) and as represented by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (herein referred to as “the Federal Minister”), and
• Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of New Brunswick (hereinafter referred to as “New Brunswick” or “Government of New Brunswick”) as represented by the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development (herein referred to as “the Provincial Minister”)

Referred to collectively as the “Parties”.

Preamble

Whereas, Canada and New Brunswick agreed to a Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework on June 12, 2017 which articulated their shared vision for early learning and child care (ELCC) and describes their approach to achieve this vision.

Whereas, the Department of Employment and Social Development Act (DESDA) authorizes the Federal Minister to enter into agreements with the provinces and territories, for the purpose of facilitating the formulation, coordination and implementation of any program or policy within the mandate of the DESDA.

Whereas, the Early Childhood Services Act authorizes the provincial Minister to enter in agreements with the Government of Canada under which Canada undertakes to provide funding toward costs incurred by the Government of New Brunswick for the provision of early learning and child care programs and services.

Whereas, Canada has, pursuant to its Policy on Transfer Payments, established a transfer payment program to provide funds to the provincial and territorial governments for the development and delivery of regulated early learning and child care programs and services for children under 6 years of age, with consideration for families more in need.

Whereas, Canada and the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council jointly released the co-developed Indigenous ELCC Framework in September 2018, which establishes overarching principles and sets a vision for happy and safe Indigenous children and families, strong cultural identity, and a comprehensive and coordinated system that is anchored in self-determination and centered on children and grounded in culture, and can be used as a guide for all actors involved in Indigenous ELCC.

Whereas, New Brunswick supports licensing of early learning and child care facilities and provides early learning and child care services for New Brunswick children, including Indigenous children accessing services off-reserve.

Whereas, the Canada-New Brunswick Early Learning and Child Care Agreement was signed on August 30, 2017 and extended by 1 year on August 19, 2020.

Whereas, in accordance with section 3.0 of the Agreement signed in 2020, Canada and New Brunswick wish to extend the Agreement for a period of 4 years commencing April 1, 2021 and ending March 31, 2025, on the same terms and conditions as the Agreement, save and except for amendments as provided herein.

Whereas, intentions to extend the Agreement were stated in writing and negotiations had commenced prior to the expiry of the 2020 to 2021 Agreement.

Whereas, Canada and New Brunswick will work together towards establishing a Canada-wide child care system.

Now therefore, Canada and New Brunswick agree as follows.

1.0 Vision for early learning and child care

1.1 Canada and New Brunswick agree that the long term vision, principles and objectives for early learning and child care, which are set out in the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework (Framework) that is attached as Annex 1, will guide the investment of funds provided under this Agreement.

2.0 Early learning and child care objectives and areas of investment

2.1 Objectives

2.1.1 Canada and New Brunswick agree that over the period of this Agreement, with financial support from Canada, New Brunswick will further build its early learning and child care system by addressing local, regional and system priorities that have an impact on families more in need by increasing the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility and inclusivity in early learning and child care, towards achieving the objectives of:

1. facilitating equitable and affordable access to high quality early learning and child care services by removing barriers linked to family income, children’s ability and needs, language in minority settings, and ensuring that new spaces are created in the areas of greatest need
2. increasing the quality of early learning and child care services for children and their families by strengthening and sustaining a highly competent and engaged workforce and modeling or sharing best practices

New Brunswick’s policy towards early learning and child care and approach to achieving these objectives is set out in its action plan attached as Annex 2.

2.1.2 Canada and New Brunswick agree that for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 only, Canada will provide a one-time contribution to New Brunswick that will be used to support the recruitment and retention of the early childhood workforce, as set out in Annex 3.

2.2 Eligible areas of investment

2.2.1 New Brunswick agrees to prioritize funds provided by Canada under this Agreement in regulated early learning and child care programs and services, as per New Brunswick’s areas of responsibility, for children under the age of 6 where:

1. regulated programs and services are defined as those that meet standards that are established and/or monitored by provincial and territorial governments
2. early learning and child care programs and services are defined as those supporting direct care and early learning for children in settings including, but not limited to, regulated child care centres, regulated family child care homes, early learning centres, preschools and nursery schools

2.2.2 In developing and delivering its early learning and child care programs and services, New Brunswick agrees to take into account the needs of official language minority communities in New Brunswick in respect of the New Brunswick Official Languages Act.

2.2.3 Acceptable investments under this Agreement may include, but are not limited to: capital and operating funding for regulated early learning and child care, fee subsidies, training, professional development and support for the early childhood workforce, quality assurance, parent information and referral, and administration costs incurred by New Brunswick in implementing and administering this Agreement in accordance to section 4.5.1.

2.2.4 Canada and New Brunswick also agree to promote, define, and deliver identifiable innovative approaches to enhance the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility, and inclusivity of early learning and child care systems, with consideration for those more in need.

2.2.5 Canada and New Brunswick agree that funding will be targeted toward regulated programs and activities, as described above, for children under the age of 6, that will have an impact on families more in need such as:

• lower-income families
• Indigenous families
• lone-parent families
• families in underserved communities
• those families with caregivers who work non-standard hours
• racialized families including Black families
• children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports

Needs also include having limited or no access to early learning and child care programs and services in the children’s official language.

2.2.6 In fiscal year 2021 to 2022, given the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19, New Brunswick may allocate funding under this Agreement to support short-term measures to minimize the impacts of COVID-19 on New Brunswick’s ELCC system. These measures must be aligned with the principles of the Multilateral ELCC Framework and be used to sustain ELCC programs and services.

3.0 Period of Agreement

3.1 This Agreement shall come into effect upon the last signature being affixed and will remain in effect until March 31, 2025, unless terminated in writing by Canada or New Brunswick in accordance with the terms hereof in section 11. Funding provided under this Agreement, in accordance with section 4, will cover the period from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2025.

3.2 Extension of bilateral agreements

3.2.1 Subject to Parliamentary approval of appropriations, Canada commits that the total annual allocation for the period of fiscal year 2025 to 2026 to fiscal year 2027 to 2028 will be no less than the annual allocation of for the fiscal year covered under the fiscal year 2020 to 2021 Agreement. Funding during the period of fiscal year 2025 to 2026 to fiscal year 2027 to 2028 period will be provided upon the execution of another extension of this bilateral Agreement and conditional on Canada’s acceptance of new action plans and informed by the assessment of the results achieved under the action plan set out in Annex 2.

3.2.2 In the event this bilateral Agreement is extended in accordance with the terms of section 3.2.1, New Brunswick may continue to use funding provided thereunder to cover the same eligible areas of investment as those covered through funding received for the period 2021 to 2025 subject to the terms and conditions of that extended agreement.

3.2.3 The extension will provide New Brunswick and Canada the opportunity to review and course correct, if required, and realign new priorities in future bilateral agreements based on progress made to date.

4.0 Financial provisions

4.1 These contributions are in addition and not in lieu of those that Canada currently pays to New Brunswick through the Canada Social Transfer in order to support early childhood development and early learning and child care within New Brunswick.

4.2 Allocation to New Brunswick

4.2.1 Canada has designated the following maximum amounts to be transferred in total to all provinces and territories under this initiative with a fixed base rate of $2 million per year for each province and territory and the balance of the funding on a per capita basis for the period starting on April 1, 2021 and ending on March 31, 2025:

1. $399,347,694 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2021
2. $524,347,694 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2022
3. $565,847,694 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2023
4. $565,847,694 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2024

4.2.2 Subject to annual adjustment based on the formula described in section 4.2.3, New Brunswick’s estimated share of the amounts described in section 4.2.1 will be as follows.

*Amount represents annual estimates based on Statistics Canada population estimates

4.2.3 The final yearly amount to be paid to New Brunswick will be calculated using the following formula F x K/L, where:

• F is the annual total funding amount transferred to provinces and territories minus the base funding
• K is the total population of New Brunswick, as determined using annual population estimates from Statistics Canada
• L is the total population of Canada, as determined using annual population estimates from Statistics Canada

4.2.4 For the purposes of the formula in section 4.2.3, the population of New Brunswick for each fiscal year and the total population of all provinces and territories for that fiscal year are the respective populations as determined on the basis of the quarterly preliminary estimates of the respective populations on July 1 of that fiscal year released in September of that fiscal year by Statistics Canada.

4.3 In this Agreement, “fiscal year” means the period commencing on April 1 of any calendar year and terminating on March 31 of the immediately following calendar year.

4.4 Payment

4.4.1 Subject to Parliamentary approval of appropriations, Canada’s contribution will be paid in approximately equal semi-annual installments as follows.

4.4.2 In 2021 to 2022, the first installment will be paid within 30 days after the signatures from both parties are affixed to the Agreement. The second installment will be paid on or about November 15.

4.4.3 Beginning in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, the first installment will be paid on or about June 15 of each fiscal year. The second installment will be paid on or about November 15 of each fiscal year.

4.4.4 The amount of the first installment will be an amount equal to 50% of the notional amount of Canada’s maximum contribution to New Brunswick for the fiscal year, which will be calculated in the manner described in sections 4.2.3 and 4.2.4.

4.4.5 The amount of the second installment will be an amount equal to the balance of Canada’s contribution to New Brunswick for the fiscal year based on the actual amount of the contribution determined under sections 4.2.3 and 4.2.4 for the fiscal year.

4.4.6 Canada will notify New Brunswick at the beginning of the fiscal year of their notional amount. The notional amount will be based on the Statistics Canada quarterly preliminary population estimates on July 1 of the preceding fiscal year. Canada will notify New Brunswick of the actual amount of the second installment in each fiscal year as determined under the formula set out in section 4.2.3 as soon as possible following the release in September of each year of the Statistics Canada quarterly preliminary population estimates referred to in section 4.2.4.

4.4.7 Starting in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, Canada shall withhold payment of its first installment for each fiscal year if New Brunswick has failed to provide its annual action plan in respect of that fiscal year in accordance with section 5.1.3 until such time as the annual action plan is provided.

4.4.8 In fiscal year 2021 to 2022, Canada shall withhold payment of its second installment for that fiscal year until New Brunswick provides its annual audited financial statement of the last fiscal year covered by the Agreement signed in 2020 in accordance with section 5.2.1 (d) of that Agreement.

4.4.9 Beginning in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, Canada shall withhold payment of its second installment for the fiscal year if New Brunswick has failed to provide its annual audited financial statement for the previous fiscal year in accordance with section 5.2.1 (d) until such time as the annual audited statement is provided.

4.4.10 The sum of both semi-annual installments constitutes a final payment and is not subject to any further adjustment once the second installment of that fiscal year has been paid.

4.4.11 Payment of Canada’s funding for each fiscal year of this Agreement is subject to an annual appropriation by the Parliament of Canada for this purpose.

4.5 Maximum annual contribution in respect of administration costs

4.5.1 Canada’s contribution in respect of New Brunswick’s administration costs referred to in section 2.2.3 and section 2.3 of Annex 3 shall not exceed:

• in the fiscal years covered under this Agreement of up to or an amount equal to 10% of the maximum amount payable for those fiscal years

4.6 Carry forward

4.6.1 At the request of New Brunswick, and subject to the approval of Canada’s Treasury Board, New Brunswick may retain and carry forward to the following fiscal year any unexpended funds remaining from New Brunswick’s annual contribution paid under section 4.2, up to a maximum of 10% of the contribution paid. Any unexpended funds in excess of 10% of the contribution paid represents an overpayment subject to section 4.7.

4.6.2 New Brunswick may only use the amount carried forward to the following fiscal year for expenditures on eligible areas of investment made under section 2.2 incurred that fiscal year.

4.6.3 For greater certainty, any unexpended funds remaining from New Brunswick’s annual contribution paid under section 4.2, up to a maximum of 10% of the contribution paid to New Brunswick in the last year of the Agreement signed in 2020, is eligible for carry forward to the first year of this Agreement.

4.6.4 For greater certainty, any amount carried forward under section 4.6.1 is supplementary to the maximum amount payable to New Brunswick under section 4.2 of this Agreement during the fiscal year in which the funding is carried forward.

4.6.5 All amounts carried forward to the next fiscal year, pursuant to sections 4.6.1 must be spent by the end of that fiscal year. New Brunswick is not entitled to retain any such carried forward amounts that remain unexpended after the end of that fiscal year, nor is it entitled to retain any balance of Canada’s contribution paid pursuant to section 4.2 that remains unexpended at the end of that fiscal year and that is not carried forward in accordance with section 4.6.1. Such amounts are considered debts due to Canada and shall be repaid in accordance with section 4.7.

4.7 Repayment of overpayment

4.7.1 In the event payments made to New Brunswick exceed the amount to which New Brunswick is entitled under this Agreement, the amount of the excess is a debt due to Canada and shall be repaid to Canada upon receipt of notice to do so and within the period specified in the notice.

4.7.2 Canada shall, in addition to any other remedies available, have the right to recover the debt by deducting or setting-off the amount of the debt from any future contribution payable to New Brunswick under this Agreement.

4.8 Use of funds

4.8.1 Canada and New Brunswick agree that funds provided under this Agreement will only be used by New Brunswick in accordance with the areas for investment outlined in section 2.2 of this Agreement.

4.8.2 Canada and New Brunswick agree that, within each fiscal year of the period of this Agreement, New Brunswick may move funding between the individual programming categories outlined in its action plan in Annex 2 to ensure the maximum use of funding. New Brunswick agrees to notify Canada in writing of any such change in funding allocation, including the rationale for the change.

5.0 Accountability

5.1 Action plan

5.1.1 New Brunswick has completed and shared its action plan for the years 2021 to 2022 with Canada as set out in the Agreement. Upon signature of this Agreement by both parties, New Brunswick will publicly release their action plan which:

1. identifies specific priority areas for investment and objectives, within the Framework’s parameters, which builds upon the progress to date, including maintaining and building on the more affordable spaces created under the 2017 to 2021 Agreement, and further enhancing the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility and/or inclusivity of their early learning and child care system, with consideration for those more in need
2. describes how New Brunswick plans to address the early learning and child care needs of its children and families more in need, as described in section 2.2.5
3. outlines their planned innovation spending
4. demonstrates and confirms that federal investments will be incremental, and will not displace existing New Brunswick early learning and child care spending, in particular spending dedicated to Indigenous populations
5. outlines the indicators that will be reported on annually according to their planned investments
6. identifies specific targets for each indicator that will be reported on annually for tracking progress in relation to the objectives of this Agreement
7. identifies additional jurisdiction-specific indicators for tracking progress in relation to the objectives of this Agreement
8. a description of consultation processes referred to in section 5.1.2, the type of groups consulted and annual priorities related to stakeholder feedback

5.1.2 New Brunswick will consult with parents, child care providers, experts, Indigenous peoples, official language minority communities and other interested Canadians as an important step in developing and revising its action plan.

5.1.3 By May 1 of each fiscal year during the period of this Agreement, starting in fiscal year 2022 to 2023, New Brunswick agrees to share with Canada an annual action plan. The annual action plan shall include the elements described in section 5.1.1 a) to h). Once the parties agree that the annual action plan is final, it may be published by one or both of the parties.

5.2 Reporting

5.2.1 By no later than October 1 of each fiscal year during the period of this Agreement, New Brunswick agrees to:

1. report to the people of New Brunswick and to Canada on the results and expenditures of early learning and child care programs and services. The report shall include the number of children benefiting from subsidies, number of licensed early learning and child care spaces broken down by age of child and type of setting. The report shall show separately the results attributable to the funding provided by Canada under this Agreement
2. continue to provide to Canada data required for the publication of the joint Federal-Provincial-Territorial Report on Public Investments in Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada
3. provide to Canada an annual report in the format and manner decided jointly by Canada and New Brunswick. The report shall show separately the results attributable to the funding provided by Canada under this Agreement and shall include:
   1. brief description of the activities, expenditures and results of the Agreement as set out in Annex 2 and 4
   2. results achieved according to the indicators and targets referred to in Annex 2 and 4
   3. the impact on families more in need, including families that have limited access to programs and services in their official language referred to in Annex 2
   4. results achieved on innovation referred to in Annex 2
   5. description of consultation processes, the type of groups consulted and annual priorities related to stakeholder feedback referred to in Annex 2
   6. any additional results of evaluation activities undertaken in the fiscal year, as available
4. provide to Canada an audited financial statement of revenues received from Canada under this Agreement during the fiscal year:
   1. the revenue section of the statement shall show the amount received from Canada under this Agreement during the fiscal year
   2. the total amount of funding used for early learning and child care programs and services under section 2.2
   3. the administration costs incurred by New Brunswick in developing and administering early learning and child care programs under section 2.2.3
   4. if applicable, the amount of any amount carried forward by New Brunswick under section 4.6
   5. if applicable, the amount of any surplus funds that are to be repaid to Canada under section 4.7

   The financial statement shall be prepared in accordance with Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and the audit shall be performed by the New Brunswick Auditor General or his/her delegate, or by an independent public accounting firm registered under the laws of New Brunswick and shall be conducted in accordance with Canadian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards.

5.2.2 Canada, with prior notice to New Brunswick, may incorporate all or any part or parts of the said report into any public report that Canada may prepare for its own purposes, including any reports to the Parliament of Canada or reports that may be made public.

5.3 Audit

5.3.1 New Brunswick will ensure that expenditure information presented in the annual report is, in accordance with New Brunswick’s standard accounting practices, complete and accurate.

5.4 Evaluation

5.4.1 As per established policies and processes with respect to program effectiveness, New Brunswick may evaluate programs and services receiving funds provided under this Agreement and make public the results of any such evaluations.

6.0 Long-term collaboration

6.1 Canada and New Brunswick agree to share and release data as available, and knowledge, research and information on effective and innovative practices in early learning and child care, to further support the development of and reporting on quality and outcomes. Canada and New Brunswick agree to work together, and with stakeholders, towards the development of common quality and outcome measures that could be included in bilateral agreements in the future that could reinforce the Framework’s long-term vision.

6.2 Canada and New Brunswick agree to work together to improve data collection and dissemination on key early learning and child care information for children under age 6.

7.0 Communications

7.1 Canada and New Brunswick agree on the importance of communicating with citizens about the objectives of this Agreement in an open, transparent, effective and proactive manner through appropriate public information activities.

7.2 Each government will receive the appropriate credit and visibility when investments financed through funds granted under this Agreement are announced to the public.

7.3 Canada reserves the right to conduct public communications, announcements, events, outreach and promotional activities about the Framework and bilateral agreements. Canada agrees to give New Brunswick 10 days advance notice of public communications related to the Framework, bilateral agreements, and results of the investments of this Agreement. New Brunswick reserves the right to conduct public communications, announcements, events, outreach and promotional activities about the Framework and bilateral agreements. New Brunswick agrees to give Canada 10 days advance notice and advance copies of public communications related to the Framework, bilateral agreements, and results of the investments of this Agreement.

8.0 Dispute resolution

8.1 Canada and New Brunswick are committed to working together and avoiding disputes through government-to-government information exchange, advance notice, early consultation, and discussion, clarification, and resolution of issues, as they arise.

8.2 If at any time either Canada or New Brunswick is of the opinion that the other Party has failed to comply with any of its obligations or undertakings under this Agreement or is in breach of any term or condition of the Agreement, Canada or New Brunswick, as the case may be, may notify the other party in writing of the failure or breach. Upon such notice, Canada and New Brunswick will endeavour to resolve the issue in dispute bilaterally through their designated officials.

8.3 If a dispute cannot be resolved by designated officials, then the dispute will be referred to the Deputy Ministers most responsible for early learning and child care of Canada and New Brunswick, and if it cannot be resolved by them, then the federal Minister and the provincial Minister shall endeavour to resolve the dispute.

9.0 Equality of treatment

9.1 During the term of this Agreement, if another province or territory, except the province of Quebec, which is not part of the Framework, negotiates and enters into an Agreement with Canada to extend a 2020 to 2021 Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, or negotiates and enters into an amendment to such an agreement and if, in the reasonable opinion of New Brunswick, any provision of that agreement or amended agreement is more favourable to that province or territory than the terms set forth in this Agreement, Canada agrees to amend this Agreement in order to afford similar treatment to New Brunswick, if requested by New Brunswick. This includes any provision of the Agreement except for the financial provisions set out under section 4.0. This amendment shall be retroactive to the date on which the agreement or the amendment to such an agreement with the other province or territory, as the case may be, comes into force.

9.2 Canada will make publicly available up-to-date early learning and child care agreements entered into with all provinces and territories, including any amendments, by posting them on a Government of Canada website.

10.0 Amendments to the Agreement

10.1 This Agreement, including all attached annexes, except Annex 1, may be amended at any time by mutual consent of the parties. To be valid, any amendments shall be in writing and signed by the parties.

10.2 Waiver

10.2.1 Failure by any party to exercise any of its rights, powers, or remedies under this Agreement or its delay to do so does not constitute a waiver of those rights, powers, or remedies. Any waiver by either party of any of its rights, powers, or remedies under this Agreement must be in writing; and, such a waiver does not constitute a continuing waiver unless it is so explicitly stated.

11.0 Termination

11.1 Canada may terminate this Agreement at any time if the terms of this Agreement are not respected by New Brunswick by giving at least 12 months written notice of its intention to terminate. New Brunswick may terminate this Agreement at any time if the terms of this Agreement are not respected by Canada by giving at least 12 months written notice of its intention to terminate.

11.2 As of the effective date of termination of this Agreement under section 11.1, Canada shall have no obligation to make any further payments to New Brunswick after the date of effective termination.

12.0 Notice

12.1 Any notice, information or document provided for under this Agreement will be effectively given if delivered or sent by letter, postage or other charges prepaid. Any notice that is delivered will have been received in delivery; and, except in periods of postal disruption, any notice mailed will be deemed to have been received 8 calendar days after being mailed.

The address for notice or communication to Canada shall be:

Social Policy Directorate
140 Promenade du Portage
Gatineau QC K1A 0J9
NC-SSP-ELCC-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

The address for notice or communication to New Brunswick shall be:

Province of New Brunswick
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Place 2000
250, King Street
P.O. 6000
Fredericton NB E3B 5H1
Nicole.gervais@gnb.ca
To the attention of Nicole Gervais, Executive Director for Early Childhood Development

13.0 General

13.1 This Agreement, including Annexes 1, 2, 3, and 4 comprise the entire Agreement entered into by the parties.

13.2 This Agreement is based on the Framework, Annex 1, concluded on June 12, 2017.

13.3 This Agreement shall be interpreted according to the laws of Canada and New Brunswick.

13.4 No member of the House of Commons or of the Senate of Canada or of the Legislature of New Brunswick shall be admitted to any share or part of this Agreement, or to any benefit arising therefrom.

13.5 If for any reason a provision of this Agreement that is not a fundamental term is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be or to have become invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, it will be deemed to be severable and will be deleted from this Agreement, but all the other provisions of this Agreement will continue to be valid and enforceable.

13.6 The English and French versions of this Agreement, when signed, are equally authoritative.

In witness whereof the parties hereunto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective duly authorized representatives.

Signed on behalf of Canada by the Minister of Employment and Social Development and as represented by the Minister of Families Children and Social Development at Ottawa this 13th day of August, 2021.

[Signed by] The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

Signed on behalf of New Brunswick by the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development at Fredericton this 13th day of August, 2021.

[Signed by] The Honourable Dominic Cardy, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Annex 1: Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework

Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers most responsible for Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) agree on the importance of supporting parents, families and communities in their efforts to ensure the best possible future for their children. For more details on this agreement, please consult the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework.

Annex 2: New Brunswick’s updated action plan for fiscal year 2021 to 2022

Introduction

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New Brunswick’s ability to deliver on the initiatives outlined in the fiscal year 2021 to 2022 action plan may be affected. As such, the targets may not be achieved, and expenditures may differ.

In 2017, New Brunswick set out to transform its early learning and childcare system to become universally accessible and affordable, over time, for all families and children through a robust public policy framework. This ambitious vision was inspired from the extensive consultations with parents, the childcare sector and stakeholders completed by the childcare review task force.

At the heart of this transformation, the new designation of New Brunswick early learning centres and homes, for regulated childcare facilities (see Figure 1) which has made strides in ensuring equitable access to quality licensed childcare for all families. New Brunswick is proud of its resounding success and is proudly standing at 502 designated facilities, a 20% increase in designated facilities and a 25% increase in designated spaces since the completion of the provincial roll out in 2018. Designated facilities have seen an uptake of spaces by 10% pre-pandemic as a result of being a designated facility.

Figure 1 – Text version

The designation program for New Brunswick’s early learning centres is made up of the following criteria:

• low-fee policy which includes parent subsidies, a market fee threshold and grants: infant and quality
• parent committees
• inclusion policy
• professional learning
• guidelines for language acquisition and cultural identity learning environments (Francophones)
• early childhood services portals
• annual quality improvement plans
• quality assessments

The pandemic has impacted occupancy rates in designated facilities; however, facilities are slowly returning to pre-pandemic rates. The occupancy rate in February 2020 was at 75% declining to 68% during the winter months. The occupancy rate at July 2021 now stands at 76.4%. The recovery is on the upswing and demand for spaces is expected to continue climbing.

The fiscal year 2021 to 2022 action plan aims at maintaining the success of the past 4 years solidifying the vision that by 2030, New Brunswick’s early learning and childcare system will be transformed to offer higher quality services that are universally accessible and affordable to all families and children through a robust public policy framework.

Action plan for fiscal year 2021 to 2022

The New Brunswick early learning and childcare system has been transformed through investments from both federal and provincial governments. Since the investments in 2017 through the Canada-New Brunswick Early Learning and Childcare Bilateral Agreement, the province of New Brunswick has continued to invest in its wage enhancement for early childhood educators and in the low-fee policy implemented in 2017.

Within this action plan, the total of the federal funds allocated for 2021 to 2022 have already been allocated in supporting the designated facilities as was determined in the Canada-New Brunswick Early Learning and Childcare Bilateral Agreement 2017 to 2020 and the subsequent 2020 to 2021 Agreement. New Brunswick will continue to provide in-kind contributions within existing provincial resources, both human and financial, unless otherwise specified, to support the initiatives described in this action plan. These are not additional investments from the province, rather it is part of the department’s efforts toward continuous improvements of programs and services.

Initiative 1: Grow New Brunswick early learning centres and homes designation

The New Brunswick early learning centres and homes designation showcases higher quality early learning and greater access for all families with children under the age of 5. It is a key initiative that supports parents’ workforce participation, particularly that of women and provides quality early learning experiences for young children. The expansion of designated facilities is critical for young families returning to the workforce as the focus turns to the economic recovery of the province.

In 2017, New Brunswick set a target of designating a minimum of 300 early learning and childcare centres. This target has been considerably surpassed with 502 facilities designated as of March 2021. The Designated Centre - Parent Subsidy Program aims to increase families’ access to financially affordable, quality child care in designated New Brunswick early learning centres. Families can register through the New Brunswick provincial registry to facilitate the search for early learning and childcare centres and also register for the Designated Centre - Parent Subsidy Program. The focus of fiscal year 2021 to 2022 is to maintain the gains and grow the designation to ensure more families can benefit from affordable quality care.

Federal funding will primarily be used to support the creation of new designated centres and the low-fee policy. Under the low-fee policy there are 2 funding envelopes: parent subsidies and operational grants to designated centres. These initiatives will be jointly funded by the Governments of Canada and New Brunswick.

Actions

1. Implement a revised market fee threshold (effective in May 2021)

The market fee threshold provides the limits allowed for fee increases for designated facilities. This fee grid is based on the average fees charged by facilities. The market fee threshold provides a predictable fee grid for families and greater consistency across the province in the management of childcare fees. The market fee threshold is a tool to determine fees charged to parents.

In 2017, the first market feet threshold was introduced with a commitment to review the fee grid by 2020.

The 2021 fee grid reflects the new provincial fee averages, the increase to the cost of living since 2017, and has been amended to better reflect the reality within the childcare sector. As such, the new fee grid includes a new fee category for 2 year-olds and the combination of rural and small urban communities. These adjustments ensure greater viability for designated facilities so that they can focus their efforts on providing quality care.

Following the changes to the market fee threshold, the province made additional investments to the parent subsidy program to ensure that low-and-middle-income families benefiting from this program did not have to pay more for their childcare fees. This represents approximately 3,360 children.

2. Implement the operator and parent portals (childcare registry)

The operator and parent portals are designed as a “one-stop-shop” that facilitate communication and the exchange of information between parents, New Brunswick early learning centres and homes, and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD).

In the coming year, the department will work with operators and parents to facilitate their registration to the portals to access the many new functionalities. Major improvements have been made to the search functions for licensed childcare such as mapping and routes. In addition, parents will be able to enroll their children in their selected early learning and childcare facility, and view availability and wait lists.

Operators will have the capacity to conduct their business with government for their funding grants through the operator portal. This will considerably reduce the administrative burden. They will also be able to manage their enrollment and wait list using this technology.

Targets

Initiative 2: Inclusion policy – moving from policy to practice

In 2021, the Early Childhood Services Act was amended to enshrine inclusion within legislation. To that end, requirements have been put in place to ensure all early learning and childcare facilities provide all children and families with an inclusive environment that is respectful of diversity in regard to race, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, place of origin, age, disability, real or perceived sexual orientation and/or gender identity, sex, social condition or political belief or activity.

The principles of inclusion and diversity in early learning and childcare are embedded within the province’s 2 distinct early learning and child care curriculum frameworks as described in the following paragraphs.

In 2009, New Brunswick launched its world class early learning and childcare curriculum frameworks anchored in the vision that “all children will grow to their fullest potential with dignity, a sense of self-worth, and a zest for living and learning.” The holistic vision of diversity and social responsibility embedded in the Anglophone curriculum honors the right of every child to participate fully regardless of language, culture, race, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, or ability. It is a natural step to expand inclusion to our youngest citizens so that it becomes inherent in how they see the world and building a stronger, more inclusive province, for all our children.

The Francophone curriculum framework promotes the holistic, dynamic and harmonious development of children from birth to 5 years of age, taking into account both their needs as unique beings and as social beings. The use of an eclectic pedagogical approach is designed to meet the needs of all children from birth to age 5, including children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports. This approach includes 5 main components: an environment that is conducive to the holistic, dynamic and harmonious development of young children, the role of the educator, supportive strategies, cultural and linguistic identity building, and respect and diversity.

Actions

1. Implement a provincial early years inclusion policy

New Brunswick early learning centres had until March 2020 to create their inclusion policy as part of the designation program. Building upon the progress of the past 3 years, a provincial early years inclusion policy will be implemented that will require all 840 licensed early learning and childcare facilities to have an inclusion policy and demonstrate inclusive practices.

The province’s objective will be expanded to place priority on moving from policy to practice by fully supporting all licensed early learning and childcare facilities to implement inclusion practices with a particular focus on the designated New Brunswick early learning centres and homes.

2. Support designated centres to incorporate inclusive practices into their early learning environments

Operators and educators of at least 170 out of 508 designated facilities will complete the Inclusion Program Support Guide (IPSG) to inform and guide the development of inclusion policies that promote access, meaningful participation and support of all children.

EECD will introduce inclusion assessment criteria designed to support designated centres in the implementation of their inclusive practices.

3. Hire early learning consultants as coaches

To support high quality inclusive early learning and childcare, EECD will increase its internal capacity to provide leadership, coaching and mentoring focused on building systems of support and enhancing educator practices. Thirteen early learning consultants have been hired to provide early childhood educators with training and coaching support in creating high quality inclusive early learning and childcare services. Support is offered through on-site consultation, communities of practice, and the development of responsive and ongoing professional learning opportunities including supporting social emotional learning and addressing challenging behaviours.

4. Expand the L’Nu, Tell me a Story project

In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendation to honor and commemorate Indigenous culture, the L’Nu Tell me a Story project, was initiated to support non-Indigenous educators become stronger allies to Indigenous neighbours.

Working in collaboration with an Indigenous elder, educators, children and their families learn the philosophy of Etuaptmumk through their own inquiries and reflections into Indigenous culture. The approach incorporates the provision of culturally appropriate materials and equipment with a series of professional learning conversations focused on cultural security and awareness, including experiencing the Blanket Exercise, plus a variety of Indigenous picture book studies. Children are directly engaged with an elder where, over a 12 weeks period, music, songs, food and items of culture significance to the Wabanaki people are shared.

Target

The actions described below under initiatives 3, 4 and 5 are funded through provincial allocations within the Department’s annual fiscal framework and given the official bilingual status of New Brunswick, both linguistic communities benefit from the actions described in this action plan.

Initiative 3: Drive a culture of continuous quality improvement

Early learning and childcare services at home and around the world are in rapid expansion and are quickly becoming part of social infrastructures. Moreover, in the last decades, research in brain development has provided greater insight on how children develop and learn. It has exposed the incredible potential of the human brain and sheds light on how we can leverage the innumerable possibilities to affect children’s learning in a positive and holistic way. Those are windows of opportunity for the greatest impact on children’s overall development and capacity building with the least effort. The development of the brain in the early years shapes who the child will become as an adult.

Legislation for early learning and childcare sets the minimum requirement to ensure children are in safe, secure and healthy learning environments while in non-parental care. The Organization for Economic Collaboration and Development’s (OECD) research project “Quality beyond Regulations”, in which New Brunswick is an active participant, showcases that quality goes above and beyond the legislative framework. There is structural quality which is often well established in legislation and then there is process quality that is about the learning environments, children’s physical, social and emotional well-being, instructional interactions and all interactions between children, educators and parents.

The “Engaging Young Children Report” (OECD, 2018) describes some common structural quality indicators, such as child-staff ratios, pre-service qualifications, staff participation in in-service training, and the existence of quality monitoring and rating improvement systems as influences for staff-child interactions. Structural features have indirect effects on children’s development, learning and well-being (Pianta et al., 2005; Vandell et al., 2010). Structural quality may be considered a precursor for process quality, which is the primary mechanism for children’s development and learning (OECD, 2018).

The “OECD Early Childhood Education and Care Policy Review: Quality beyond Regulations” suggests that only high-quality early learning and childcare is effective in having a positive impact on children’s development and research is showing that this is more evident for disadvantaged children.

Therefore, driving a culture of continuous quality improvement for process quality is, in essence, embracing quality and promoting it. It is about engaging and encouraging everyone to do more, to be innovative, setting goals for improvement and maintaining the gains over time.

Driving a culture of continuous improvement is good for business and good for the children. It in fact serves to address the quality health of the service by focusing on the right things, providing strong leadership and delivering value to the customer.

Actions

1. Develop a curriculum validation tool for the Anglophone sector

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will develop a quality assessment tool aligned with the New Brunswick Curriculum Framework for Early Learning and Child Care - English to replace the previously used quality assessment tools (Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS) and Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS)).

The Curriculum Validation Tool (CVT) will be designed to be an extension of the Curriculum Assessment Tool-Reflective Guide which aims to support educators in reflecting on their practice and to strengthen their pedagogical practices and will include assessment of inclusion and diversity practices. This new assessment tool will provide an understanding of quality and curriculum implementation, while supporting educators and operators to meaningfully connect their quality improvement plans with the curriculum framework focused on improving process quality.

2. Roll out the « outil d’évaluation de l’application du curriculum éducatif » for francophone designated facilities

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is rolling out provincially the new quality assessment tool, “outil d’évaluation de l’application du curriculum éducatif (ÉACÉ)” (in French only), which is aligned with the « Curriculum éducatif des services de garde francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick » (In French only). This new tool will replace the previously-used quality assessments (ITERS and ECERS).

Francophone New Brunswick early learning centres and homes will be evaluated on the quality of the implementation of the “Curriculum éducatif des services de garde francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick”. This new quality assessment tool will be key in guiding operators and administrators in the development of their annual quality improvement plans.

During the year, a review of the « outil d’évaluation de l’application du curriculum éducatif » will be completed to add measures of inclusion and diversity practices.

3. Provide operators and administrators and educators with coaching and support in the development of their annual quality improvement plans

Through the first year of the pandemic, the focus in early learning and childcare facilities was ensuring that children were in healthy and safe environments. During the next year, efforts will aim at relaunching and continuing to advance the skills and comfort level of operators and administrators and educators as they develop SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) goals to elevate process quality within their facility.

Target

Initiative 4: Continue to offer professional development to early childhood educators and administrators

On-going opportunities for professional learning and growth are key in ensuring high quality early learning. Educators who are supported in their professional growth and career development are better equipped to meet the needs of children.

Building on the efforts of the last 4 years, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will continue to offer training opportunities that support educators to reflect on their practices through communities of practice with the aim to improve the quality of early learning activities offered to children.

Actions

1. Develop annual strategic provincial and school district plans for professional learning

Develop collaborative annual professional development opportunities plans across the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (provincial and regional) to ensure well-coordinated offerings for educators or administrators. This will ensure equitable level of professional learning that will promote an efficient use of resources and reduce overlaps with other priorities. Offer professional learning opportunities related to the early learning curriculum frameworks using multi-dimensional approaches to strengthen skills and knowledge of high-quality pedagogical practices including inclusion and diversity, quality environment, language acquisition and cultural identity learning environments.

Target

Initiative 5: implement the language acquisition and cultural identity learning environment guidelines

Language acquisition and cultural identity for the francophone community in a minority setting is vital to sustain its vitality. The early years of a child’s life play a critical role in language development and in the construction of their own identity both personal and social and for a lifelong impact. That is why the protection of the French language and culture begins at birth and why it must be promoted and celebrated in the francophone New Brunswick early learning centres and homes.

The language acquisition and cultural identity learning environments guidelines were developed in partnership with the « Association francophone des parents du Nouveau-Brunswick » and are designed to provide a framework for the designated facilities to support each child in the process of acquiring the French language or updating their language skills, as well as in the construction of his/her personal and social identity. It further aims at fostering inclusion and diversity with parents and to support the implementation of a learning continuum in French from birth to contribute to the vitality of Acadian and Francophone communities.

Actions

1. Provide training to the pedagogical leaders of the francophone facilities

Deliver training to all administrators and pedagogical leaders of francophone New Brunswick's early learning centres and homes as a first step in the provincial roll out of the “Guidelines for Language Acquisition and Cultural Identity Learning Environments”. The purpose of the training is to help individuals familiarize themselves with the guidelines and to plan the implementation within each of their facilities. The early learning consultants associated with the Francophone school districts will provide pedagogical support and coaching during site visits.

2. Develop an evaluation grid for the guidelines

Work in collaboration with early learning consultants and representatives of francophone New Brunswick early learning centres and homes to develop an evaluation grid for the guidelines. This will serve as a tool to identify areas of focus for quality improvements. This evaluation will take place at the same time as other quality assessments.

All designated facilities will be assessed in their implementation of the new guidelines and will be provided coaching support to ensure continuous improvements. Elements for improvement in implementation may be included in the quality improvement plan.

Target

Federal contribution and proposed allocations

The federal contribution will be allocated for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 to the following priorities.

Annex 3: Early childhood workforce funding for fiscal year 2021 to 2022

Preamble

Whereas, Canada and New Brunswick agree that the early childhood workforce is integral to providing high-quality ELCC.

Whereas, the Multilateral ELCC Framework is based on 5 key principles, one of which is ensuring ELCC systems are of high quality.

Whereas, the Multilateral ELCC Framework recognizes the importance of qualifications and training for the early childhood workforce as part of a high quality ELCC system.

Now therefore, the Parties agree as follows.

1.0 Purpose

1.1 Canada and New Brunswick agree that for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 only, a one-time financial support from Canada to New Brunswick will be used to support the recruitment and retention of the early childhood workforce.

2.0 Areas of focus

2.1 New Brunswick agrees to utilize funding in licensed or regulated settings to support the attraction and retention of a qualified workforce, including through training, professional development, wages, bursary programs, tuition support and grants.

2.2 For greater clarity, activities that may support the objective of attracting and retaining a qualified workforce include but are not limited to: providing employment and training supports, lowering the cost of education for those seeking their early childhood educator degree or certificate, supporting the workforce in providing quality ELCC, and improving the ability to provide support to families more in need, including lower-income families; Indigenous families; lone-parent families; families with children with disabilities and children needing enhanced or individual supports; Black and racialized children; families from Official Language Minority Communities; families in underserved communities; and/or those working non-standard hours. Needs also include having limited or no access to programs and services in the children's official language.

2.3 New Brunswick may use up to 10% of its workforce funding allocation towards administration costs.

3.0 Financial provisions

3.1 In fiscal year 2021 to 2022, to be paid concurrently with the contribution provided under section 4.2.2 of the Agreement, Canada has designated the following maximum amount to be transferred in total to all provinces and territories under this initiative with a fixed base rate of $2 million per year for each province and territory, and the balance of the funding on a per child (0 to 12) basis:

1. $420,000,000 for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2021

3.2 The final amount to be paid to New Brunswick is determined by the formula F x K/L where:

• F is the total funding amount transferred to provinces and territories minus the base funding
• K is the population of children aged 0 to 12 in New Brunswick in fiscal year 2021 to 2022, as determined using population estimates from Statistics Canada and
• L is the total population of children aged 0 to 12 in Canada in fiscal year 2021 to 2022, as determined using population estimates from Statistics Canada

3.3 Subject to adjustment based on the formula described in section 3.2 of this Annex, New Brunswick’s estimated share of the amount described in section 3.1 (a) of this Annex will be as follows.

For the purposes of the formula in section 3.2 of this Annex, the population of children aged 0 to 12 in New Brunswick for the 2021 to 2022 fiscal year and the population of children aged 0 to 12 in all provinces and territories for that fiscal year are the respective populations as determined on the basis of the preliminary estimates of the respective populations on July 1 of that fiscal year. These estimates are released by Statistics Canada in September of each fiscal year.

3.4 Sections 4.6.1 to 4.6.5 of the Agreement, respecting carry forward, apply to funds provided under this Annex.

4.0 Accountability

4.1 Action plan

4.1.1 In addition to the requirements outlined in the Agreement under section 5.1, for fiscal year 2021 to 2022, New Brunswick agrees to include the following additional information in the action plan (as set out in Annex 4) for that fiscal year:

1. specific priority areas for investment and objectives in supporting the recruitment and retention of the early childhood workforce in New Brunswick
2. demonstrate that federal investments will be incremental, and will not displace existing New Brunswick spending in support of the early childhood workforce
3. indicators that will be reported on according to New Brunswick’s planned investments in the workforce
4. specific targets for each indicator that will be reported on according to New Brunswick’s planned investments

4.2 Reporting

1. report to the people of New Brunswick and to Canada on the results and expenditures to support the recruitment and retention of the early childhood workforce. The report shall show separately the results attributable to the funding provided by Canada under this Annex
2. provide to Canada additional information in the annual report for that year that shall show separately the results attributable to the funding provided by Canada under this Annex and shall include:
   1. a description of the activities, expenditures and results of Annex 3 of the Agreement as set out in Annex 4
   2. results achieved according to the indicators and targets referred to in Annex 4
   3. the number of early childhood workforce staff (current and/or planned) supported by federal funding provided under this Annex including a description of how they were supported
   4. a description of the increase in recruitment and/or retention of the early childhood workforce in fiscal year 2021 to 2022
3. provide to Canada an audited financial statement of revenues received from Canada under this Annex in fiscal year 2021 to 2022:
   1. the revenue section of the statement shall show the amount received from Canada under this Annex in fiscal year 2021 to 2022
   2. the total expenditures under this Annex in fiscal year 2021 to 2022
   3. if applicable, the amount of any surplus funds that are to be repaid to Canada under section 4.7 of the Agreement

   The financial statement shall be prepared in accordance with Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and the audit shall be performed by the New Brunswick Auditor General or his/her delegate, or by an independent public accounting firm registered under the laws of New Brunswick and shall be conducted in accordance with Canadian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards.

Annex 4: Early childhood educator workforce strategy for fiscal year 2021 to 2022

Introduction

In the “Everyone at their best…from the start” New Brunswick envisioned an early learning and child care system of high quality that families can rely on and where every child receives appropriate services enabling them to reach their full potential. The success of the New Brunswick early learning centre designation provides a strong foundation for the continued transformation of New Brunswick’s early learning and child care system. New Brunswick’s overarching goal is to create a culture of continuous quality improvement, whereby operators and educators are actively engaged in the process to move beyond the minimum legislative requirements.

Every day, early childhood educators shape the learning environments for children. As an educator, understanding how children learn is critical to supporting children’s overall development and well-being. It is well documented that educators with more formal education and specialised early childhood training provide more stimulating, warm and supportive interactions with children. Further that, on-going professional learning has been identified as one of the strongest predictors of process quality, which in turn has been demonstrated to positively influence children’s emerging literacy and numeracy skills, as well as their behavioral and social skills. The very important role played by educators must be supported and they must have opportunities to continuously build on their competencies. There is now evidence that qualified early childhood educators are better able to sustain enriching and stimulating interactions with children than those with lower qualifications.

New Brunswick’s participation in the OECD Starting Strong VI – Quality Beyond Regulations has reinforced that “early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals” are key agents for assuring the quality of an ECEC system. Initial education of ECEC staff is one of the most important determinants of quality in ECEC, and among the main features that can be regulated or changed through policies to improve the quality of ECEC provision.

Not only is there recognition of the critical role early childhood educators play in the determination of quality learning experiences for children, they are the most important element of the early learning and childcare system. During the pandemic, the province has seen an average of close to 40% of staff turnover which has impacted the capacity for service providers to deliver high quality services. That is why now is the time to build strategies for the retention of qualified staff, to support their professional learning and to promote the profession.

In an effort to drive quality, the training requirements for early childhood educators were increased in the Early Childhood Services Act. Currently, legislation requires that 50% of educators in each facility and the Administrators have a minimum of their 1-year early childhood education certificate. It also requires that early childhood educators without recognized training have completed the “Introduction to Early Childhood Education” online course offered free of charge by government. Given the high turnover rate, facilities are struggling to meet these requirements.

Consultations

The childcare review task force (August 2016) provided recommendations to leverage existing services and set the roadmap for the future. A recent survey of early childhood educators (May 2021) asked respondents to rate the significance of the recommendations of the childcare review task force. There is a strong desire for professional recognition to advance their profession. To that end, educators overwhelmingly reaffirmed the importance of a robust profession by having a regulated professional association to promote their profession, to be the voice with government and to regulate the standards of practice. Early childhood educators also recommended using the process of certification and pay equity to determine a wage scale.

Early childhood educators further voiced the necessity to change the traditional practices for formal learning and that in fact, their professional learning must allow them to continue to work while studying. This would allow them to make a living while increasing their credentials. Moreover, combining work and study would afford them the opportunity to practice what they learn. There is a desire from early childhood educators to also have their years of experience and professional development to be recognized and to play a significant role in determining their competencies. This was reinforced by early learning and childcare operators.

• having competitive wages
• access to health and pension plan
• having better working conditions
• having public recognition
• having access to professional training and support

Their perspectives will inform possibilities and priorities towards establishing a professional pathway for New Brunswick’s early childhood educator workforce.

New Brunswick’s early childhood educator workforce strategy

Since 2017, New Brunswick has begun the journey to transform its early childhood education system through a robust public policy framework with outstanding success. There are 2 main reasons for this success. Firstly, New Brunswick’s action plan presented a comprehensive approach to move quality at the same time as increasing access to affordable services. Secondly, while government built a model for this transformation, the details were co-constructed with operators and parents to ensure that it was responsive to the reality on the ground. This is the preferred approach as we build the early childhood educator workforce strategy for New Brunswick.

While the funding for this strategy is for 1 year, it is the intent to leverage this opportunity to address the dire need for increased access to formal training and to build longevity for recruitment and retention of qualified educators.

Innovative professional learning

Given the high turnover rate of the previous year, the province will focus on providing an increased access to professional learning opportunities for early childhood educators who need to complete their 1-year early childhood education certificate, while working. This will include increased access to the online “Introduction to Early Childhood Education” course, as well as the provision of innovative work-study models for those who are required to complete their college ECE certificate. This online mandatory course provides initial training on our early learning curriculum frameworks. This means that all early childhood educators receive training on inclusion and diversity, as described under the Early Childhood Services Act.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will work in close partnership with the New Brunswick Community College and the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick to deliver 2 innovative professional training models. The availability of these innovative training opportunities will be for all licenced early learning and childcare facilities offering services to preschool age children (0 to 5) no matter where they are located in the province. However, priority will be given to facilities that currently do not meet the legislated training requirements:

1. micro credentialing - experiential learning: this onsite training to obtain the 1 year college certificate will be offered to educators who have worked for a minimum of 3 years in a licensed early learning and childcare facility with children under the age of 5 and who have completed the “Introduction to Early Childhood Education” course. This program will allow educators to work in child care centres while demonstrating experiential practices to gain recognition and participating in theoretical training modules to demonstrate their skills. This program is 6 to 8 months in length
2. integrated work-study program: this program will allow 2 untrained educators from the same designated center to complete their 1 year college training while continuing to work. The 2 educators will alternate their time: a block of online training at home or at college and then a block of work (example: 8 weeks in training, 8 weeks working). This will allow them to apply their learnings and build their competencies throughout their training. This program requires 2 years to complete. These educators who have a minimum of 3 years of experience in a licensed early learning and childcare facility working children birth to age 5 will also have the opportunity to have a prior learning assessment review to recognize their experiences and skills

In both of these options, priority will be given to facilities who do not meet the current training criteria. In addition, educators who participate in either of these innovative professional learning programs will be required to take part in the early childhood educator career growth and development program. Through this program, and in order to reduce the financial impact on the educator, they will continue to receive their wages and there will be no additional costs for the tuition. In addition, operators will receive funding to help offset the cost associated with staff time and staff replacement to support the early childhood educators in completing their course work.

The objective to train current early childhood educators working in early learning and childcare facilities without affecting access to child care for parents and also to support retention of staff in the sector is key.

The quality of training is directly linked to the quality of service delivery to children. The time identified for both models by the colleges (micro credential for 6 to 8 months and integrated for 80 weeks) to deliver quality college programs is necessary. We believe that this approach will be much more effective in affecting the quality of pedagogical interventions since learners will also have the opportunity to practice the theories learned during their training.

Full funding will be rolled out to both colleges in fiscal year 2021 to 2022. However, training for educators will take longer to complete than the fiscal year barriers. Both community college systems will begin offering training cohorts as early as September 2021 with an anticipation that the cohorts will take possibly until March 2023 to complete. The province will collaborate closely with the colleges systems to coach educators to ensure that these trainings move forward smoothly.

Actions

• Increase access to the “Introduction to Early Childhood Education” course for early childhood educators to help untrained educators meet the minimum training criteria
• Increase access to innovative “Early Childhood Education” training for early childhood educators in collaboration with the New Brunswick Community College and the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick

Targets

Professional development and growth

As noted by the early childhood educators, there is a keen sense of urgency to elevate and promote the profession. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will work in collaboration with the educators and operators and the new professional association to build the umbrella for growth within a career pathway while empowering early childhood educators to become leaders of their profession. Educators participating in these programs will be supported in building their career goals and journey in growing their skills and developing a professional portfolio. With that in mind, 2 new programs will be created.

1. Early Childhood Educator Career Growth and Development Program

The Early Childhood Educator Career Growth And Development Program is intended to support early childhood educators in their career pathway. The program will support early childhood educators in building their professional portfolio to demonstrate how they acquire and improve their knowledge and competencies. Grounded in reflective practice, this will serve as a process for educators to record their reflections and to demonstrate their competencies by chronicling their professional learning activities. It will further help educators to achieve their goals for those pursuing career growth, while also improving how they set up the learning environments and learning plans for children in their care.

The concept of the professional portfolio will provide educators with the tools to demonstrate how they have acquired competencies that will then facilitate recognition either for the prior learning assessments review processes and/or for the recognition of training equivalency as indicated under the Early Childhood Services Act.

2. Emergent Leaders Institute

This program is intended to be an in-depth professional development program designed to prepare educators to become leaders in their field. The Institute will provide 2 streams, one for pedagogical leadership and one for administrative leadership within the early childhood education sector.

The pedagogical leadership stream is targeted to early childhood educators who want to build their competencies and deepen their understanding of the curriculum to become coaches and mentors for other early childhood educators.

The administrative leadership stream is targeted to early childhood educators who have a desire to lead the administration and management component of a service. This stream will focus on administrative duties such as human resources management, financial management, facility management with an in-depth understanding of the legislations impacting early learning and childcare.

Actions

• In collaboration with the early learning and childcare sector, establish and implement an early childhood educator career growth and development program that will support early childhood educators in building their credentials
• Develop an emergent leaders program as a leadership Institute to foster pedagogical and administration leadership

Target

Recruitment and retention

It has become evident that efforts must be targeted in ensuring the early learning and childcare system can, not only recruit, but retain its educators as a key driver of quality. This is the lynch pin to ensuring quality early childhood education and the sustainability of future growth of the sector as it supports parents’ workforce participation.

Staff turnover has increased significantly over the past year to nearly 40%. Different factors and the pandemic have affected this increase. Provincial investments in the past years in salary increases for trained educators as well as this federal initiative to support training should have a positive impact in reducing this rate.

In 2020, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development joined NouLab in scoping and framing potential solutions to address the issue early childhood educators’ completion of their early childhood education credentials, while working. The purpose of this lab is to use the collective knowledge, expertise and lived experiences of people to better understand the problem and come up with potential solutions. Through the New Brunswick workforces strategy, New Brunswick will leverage the findings of this work as we, as a collective, foster ongoing professional learning for the early childhood education workforce.

In collaboration with the early learning and childcare sector and key partners, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will oversee the development and implementation of a promotional campaign of early childhood education profession to create public awareness and serve as a tool for recruiting qualified educators. It will also further explore other components such as certification and working conditions particularly with early childhood educators and operators of licenced early learning and childcare facilities.

A particular focus for fiscal year 2021 to 2022 will be establishing a mechanism for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to conduct the credential review of early childhood educators, current and future, who have completed their early childhood education training outside of Canada.

Actions

• Engage the early learning and childcare sector in further dialogue to identify additional pathways to ensure a robust workforce of qualified early childhood educators
• Create a public awareness campaign to promote the early childhood education profession as a recruitment and retention strategy
• Explore the feasibility of implementing certification for the early childhood education profession, including training levels related to qualifications and competencies required
• Establish a mechanism for recognition of qualification for early childhood educators who completed their training outside of Canada to facilitate recruitment of new Canadians
• In collaboration with early learning and childcare Operators, explore the feasibility of implementing a database for substitute educators to facilitate access to qualified replacement staff by operators

Summary tables