Fort St. John, British Columbia, February 7, 2008 — The Honourable Jay Hill, Secretary of State, Chief Government Whip and Member of Parliament for Prince George-Peace River, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced support for early childhood development in Fort St. John, British Columbia.
"The Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to support children, families and communities," said Secretary of State Hill. "This project will bring together families, teachers and community leaders to gather information on the developmental needs of children from birth to age six in the North Peace-Northern Rockies area, and to develop an action plan to respond to those needs."
The contribution of $448,379 is provided through the Understanding the Early Years (UEY) initiative.
Today's announcement brings the total UEY investment in six British Columbia communities to over $2.1 million this year.
Information collected through UEY helps communities understand how their children are doing physically, socially and cognitively, and how families and the community are supporting these children. Each three-year project is managed by a non-profit organization that works in collaboration with local organizations that are committed to helping children and families reach their full potential.
UEY is one example of how the Government of Canada invests in children.
This year alone, the Government is providing nearly $5.6 billion in support of early learning and child care through transfers, direct spending and tax measures, including:
$1,200 in annual support to families for each child under the age of six through the Universal Child Care Benefit;
a new Child Care Tax Credit for parents raising children under the age of 18 that provides tax relief for more than 3 million Canadian families; and
increased transfers to the provinces and territories to support the creation of child care spaces.
- 30 -
This news release is available in alternative formats upon request.
Visit the Human Resources and Social Development Canada Web site at www.hrsdc.gc.ca.
For more information (media only):
Pema Lhalungpa
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Solberg
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
backgrounder
What is Understanding the Early Years?
The Understanding the Early Years (UEY) initiative provides communities with the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canada's children.
UEY does this by helping communities to use local information, and to foster partnerships among community groups to make decisions about the best policies and programs for young children to thrive.
What information is collected?
Communities collect information on:
the development of their kindergarten children;
family and community factors that influence their children's development;
local programs and services that help children develop to their full potential; and
local socio-economic characteristics.
What does UEY do for communities?
Information collected through UEY helps communities understand how their children are doing physically, socially and cognitively, and how families and the community are supporting these children. Parents, teachers and others can then learn about what works in their communities, and together come up with creative solutions to help their children do even better.
What does UEY involve?
Each selected UEY community is given funding of approximately $350,000, which is allocated over three years. However, large, remote northern communities require additional funds to cover travel costs over a wide territory. The funds are used to increase awareness in the community about the importance of children's early years, to collect and share information about the developmental needs of young children in the community, and to develop an action plan to address gaps in local supports for children and families. Each site is managed by a non-profit community-based organization that works in collaboration with a coalition made up of local organizations and individuals committed to helping children and families reach their full potential.
