Backgrounder: CANADA–NUNAVUT EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD CARE AGREEMENT

On June 12, 2017, Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Early Learning and Child Care signed a Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework. This is a significant milestone in which governments agree to work together to address some of the key early learning and child care issues across the country.

Governments will work towards achieving the shared long-term vision of the Framework where all children across Canada can experience the enriching environment of quality early learning and child care. They have committed to increase the quality, accessibility, affordability, flexibility and inclusivity of early learning and child care with consideration for families that need child care the most.

The implementation of this framework, and a separate Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework to be co-developed with Indigenous peoples, is supported by federal investments announced in Budgets 2016 and 2017, totaling $7.5 billion over 11 years. Through bilateral agreements, the Government of Canada will provide provinces and territories with $1.2 billion, over three years, that outline the unique early learning and child care needs that will be addressed and funding allocation for each jurisdiction.

The Governments of Canada and Nunavut have signed an early learning and child care bilateral agreement. Through this bilateral agreement, the Government of Nunavut will receive just over $7 million, over three years, for investments towards operations and maintenance funding, creation of child care spaces in underserved communities, greater training and professional development opportunities of the early learning and child care workforce and the development of learning and teaching resources and programming materials in all of Nunavut’s official languages.

By the end of the three-year agreement, this funding will:

·         ensure that early learning and child care programs are of high quality;

·         support the training and professional development of the early learning and child care workforce;

·         support the delivery of early learning and child care programming in every community;

·         acknowledge and recognize the importance of early learning and child care and its educators; and

·         promote and resource early learning and child care to enable and support greater use of Inuktut.