tracking progress

Benchmarks for tracking progress

As the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care $10/day plan has moved into implementation, this section tracks progress using key early learning and child care (ELCC) system benchmarks. It will be updated as implementation progresses. Where available, explanatory resources are linked in the tables. CRRU has aimed to ensure the accuracy of these tables to the best of our ability using publicly available information. To suggest corrections, please contact us.

Legend

Yes	No	Partial / In Progress

Additional information on new developments

Beyond these benchmarks, large and small developments are occurring regularly at all levels of government.

For information on additional developments, the Child care in the news category of CRRU’s keyword searchable Online Document Catalogue may be useful.

Canada-wide: Tracking progress on ELCC

Is federal child care legislation in place?		Bill C-35, An Act Respecting Early Learning and Child Care was unanimously approved by the House of Commons in the spring of 2023. It received Royal Assent on March 19, 2024, making it Canada’s first federal child care legislation to become law.
Is a Canada-wide ELCC workforce strategy in place?		A federal/provincial/territorial ministers’ meeting was convened in July 2023 to “advance shared priorities in early learning and child care,” including the development of a multilateral workforce strategy. Shared work on a strategy has continued but despite some progress on workforce issues made by provinces/territories, a Canada-wide strategy is not in place.
Is new ELCC expansion primarily public/non-profit Canada-wide?		Although the provincial/territorial agreements and first action plans indicate that all provinces have agreed to this federal condition – some exclusively and some “primarily” – the data as of 2023 show that although the percent of child care operated for-profit Canada-wide changed only marginally overall, more than 40% of net growth was in the for-profit sector.
Is ELCC capital funding in place?		The federal government included an Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund of $625 million in the 2022 federal budget. This was followed in April 2024 by the Child Care Expansion Loan Program ($1 billion fund through CMHC) and an additional $60 million in non-repayable grants for expanding public and non-profit child care. In addition, provinces/territories may use CWELCC funds for capital as well as allocating their own funds.
Is a Canada-wide data and research strategy in place?		New ongoing Statistics Canada surveys are providing some new Canada-wide data, and academic and community researchers are studying a host of ELCC-related topics, but a comprehensive data and research strategy is not yet in place.
Are resources and plans to support Indigenous peoples to develop their own distinctions-based ELCC systems in place?		The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) framework, which includes distinctions-based First Nations, Métis, and Inuit frameworks, was agreed to by the federal government and Indigenous governing bodies in 2018. These frameworks, together with the federal Indigenous ELCC Secretariat, earmarked financing, and provincial/territorial commitments, support the ongoing development of Indigenous ELCC Canada-wide.
Last update: November 9, 2024.

Summary: Tracking progress by province/territory

Specific provincial/territorial details are available in the Details and notes section below.

Has the jurisdiction’s second action plan been announced?

Has the jurisdiction moved to a system of set parent fees?

Have the jurisdiction’s parent fees been reduced to an average of $10/day?

Has the jurisdiction put in place capital funding aimed at the expansion of public and non-profit child care?

Has the jurisdiction shifted to an operational funding model (cost-based) for services?

Has the jurisdiction put a wage grid in place?

Has the jurisdiction adopted measures to improve staff benefits and/or working conditions?

Last update: April 22, 2025.

Details and notes: Tracking progress by province and territory

After signing agreements with the federal government in 2021 – 2022, each province/territory except Quebec developed a first action plan specifying implementation commitments. The first action plans ended March 31, 2023, and the second action plans have been in the development stage in 2023 and 2024.

NL		Action plan.
PE
NS		Action plan.
NB		Action plan.
QC	Under Quebec’s asymmetrical agreement with the federal government, it is not required to develop an action plan.
ON
MB		Action plan.
SK
AB
BC
YT
NT		Announced March 1, 2024. The action plan is not yet available online.
NU		Announced November 10, 2023. The action plan is not yet available online.
NOTE: See the federal government page for the provincial/territorial agreements. The above links direct to the federal posting of the second action plans if available, and otherwise to provincial/territorial websites.
Last update: Nov 6, 2024.

Moving to provincially/territorially set parent fees rather than allowing the market to set them is fundamental to transforming ELCC into a universal system. Beginning with Quebec’s set fee (originally $5/day in 1997), set fees are now used for most child care in seven jurisdictions.

NL
PE		Prince Edward Island has used provincially set fees for designated Early Years Centres since 2010; they now also apply to family child care.
NS
NB
QC		Quebec has used provincially set fees since 1997. Quebec’s set fees apply to all non-profit Centres de la petite enfance (CPEs) and a minority of for-profit garderies, as well as recognized (licensed) family child care. Other for-profits charge market-based fees.
ON		Ontario introduced set parent fees of $22 a day for all children aged 0- 6 in participating programs based on a new cost-based funding formula.
MB		Parent fees have been set in Manitoba since the mid-1980s when set fees were regulated under The Community Child Day Care Standards Act.
SK
AB		Alberta introduced a set parent fee of approximately $15 a day $326.25 /month) for all children aged 0- 6 in participating programs and eliminated the fee subsidy program for low income families.
BC		Provincially set fees are used in British Columbia’s $10 a Day ChildCareBC services, which are a minority but growing.
YT
NT
NU
Last update: April 22, 2025.

Canada-wide, fee reduction was implemented in two stages. All jurisdictions except Quebec agreed to reduce parent fees by an average of 50% by December 2022; all met or came close to meeting, this goal. However, eight provinces/territories also met (or had previously met) the second target – to reduce fees to $10/day – early, moving to a $10/day fee in 2023 and 2024.

NL
PE
NS
NB
QC		The provincially set fee of $9.10 in 2024, which was initially $5/day in 1997, is now annually indexed to inflation.
ON
MB
SK
AB
BC		A minority of licensed child care services are funded to charge $10/day fees.
YT		The Yukon had significantly reduced its average fees before the $10/day plan was announced.
NT
NU
Last update: Nov 9 2024.

Capital funding is a key element in strategies to ensure public/non-profit child care growth. Almost all jurisdictions have some kind of capital funding plan for centres and regulated family child care, some of which are available to both not-for-profit and for-profit growth. Additionally, the various capital funding plans are variable in terms of how much, or what proportion of costs they cover.

NL		Newfoundland and Labrador’s Capacity Grant funding is available to eligible not-for-profits, including community-based organizations, municipalities, cooperatives, and employer-sponsored and family child care provision
PE		Prince Edward Island provides EYC Expansion Capital Grants, a Low-Interest Loan Pilot Program, EYC Architectural Fee Reimbursement Grants, and Family Home Centre Capital Grants, all for both not-for-profit and for-profit expansion.
NS		Nova Scotia’s capital funding grants, only available to not-for-profit programs, include Child Care Space Expansion, Minor Infrastructure Funding, Major Infrastructure Funding, and the Family Home Start Up Program.
NB		New Brunswick has three capital funding grants: Designation Start-Up Funding: New Licence ELCC Coordination Grant, New Space Creation Implementation Grant, and Expansion for Infants Spaces Grant – Renovations. They are provided to for-profit and not-for-profit operators, with not-for-profits prioritized.
QC		Quebec’s Infrastructure Funding Program and Infrastructure Investment Grants are available only to non-profit Centres de la petit enfance. A start-up grant is available to recognized (licensed) family child care providers.
ON		Ontario provides for-profit and not-for-profit centres and home child care agencies with start-up grants. The 47 municipal-level Social Service Managers may make some determination of eligibility.
MB		Manitoba’s capital grants - Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Building Fund, Child Care Renovation Expansion Grant, Ready to Move (RTM) Child Care Project, School-Based Child Care Centre Expansion Project and home child care start-up grant - are all available to not-for-profit services only.
SK		Saskatchewan’s Space Development Capital Funding, Centre Start-Up Grant and Family Child Care Home Start-Up Grants are all available only to not-for-profit services. Saskatchewan provides no funding to for-profit child care.
AB		Alberta’s capital grants - Space Creation Grant (centres) and Space Creation Grants (family child care) are aimed at expansion in areas of high demand and child care deserts. All are available to for-profit and not-for-profit services.
BC		British Columbia’s Major and Minor Capital Funding Grants are available to not-for-profit and public organizations only, and Start-Up Grants are available for new family home child care providers.
YT		The Yukon provides a small amount of start-up funding to centres and family child care, as well as capital funding for health and safety requirements in Whitehorse. All capital may be accessed by non-profits and for-profits.
NT		The Northwest Territories has an Early Childhood Infrastructure Fund, and New Child Care Spaces Funds for Centre-based Programs (available only to not-for-profits; there is no for-profit child care in the Northwest Territories), and Family Day Homes.
NU		Nunavut’s Infrastructure Funding Program prioritizes communities with little or no licensed child care, and is available only to not-for-profits. There is no for-profit child care in Nunavut.
Last update: Nov 9 2024.

An “operational funding model” means that public funding covers a service’s normal operating budget (including all staff compensation, facility, meals, and program costs) rather than relying on a patchwork of parent fee replacement, grants, payments, parent fee subsidies, and fundraising pieced together by each service provider.

NL		Newfoundland and Labrador’s current Operating Grant program was reviewed in 2023.
PE		See the section on Prince Edward Island in this policy brief for a description of the funding formula.
NS		Nova Scotia does not currently use a cost-based funding formula.
NB		New Brunswick’s second action plan states that the province “has committed to reviewing the funding formula based on the true cost of child care.”
QC		Quebec has used a cost-based funding formula to provide operational funding to CPEs and to grandparented for-profit garderies for many years. See the section on Quebec’s funding formula in this policy brief for a description.
ON		Ontario’s new cost-based funding formula will be implemented in January 2025.
MB		Manitoba’s current “unit funding” model is described in this 2024 pre-budget submission.
SK		For recommendations for a Saskatchewan funding formula, see page 20 of the Saskatchewan Roadmap.
AB		The Alberta government is currently developing a new funding formula.
BC		British Columbia is piloting a new Operating Funding Model in some $10 a Day ChildCareBC Centres.
YT		The Yukon does not currently use a cost-based funding formula.
NT		The Northwest Territories is developing new early learning and child care regulations which will include a new funding approach.
NU		Nunavut has proposed regulated funding as part of the territory’s new early learning and child care legislation.
Last update: Nov 9 2024.

A well-designed wage grid based on decent wages is a fundamental component of an effective workforce strategy for improving the recruitment and retention of qualified educators and building a professional early childhood education workforce. A wage grid is defined here as a stepped scale outlining progressive salary levels based on factors including position, credentials, and experience/length of employment.

NL		Wage grid
PE		Prince Edward Island has required Early Years Centres to use a provincial wage grid since 2010.
NS		Wage grid
NB		Wage grid
QC		Quebec’s wage grid has been in place for funded CPEs and garderies since 2006.
ON		Ontario has not committed to a wage grid.
MB		Manitoba introduced a salary guide with minimum starting and target wages in 2022 and is developing a wage grid. The Manitoba Child Care Association has been developing wage scales for the province’s ELCC provision since 2007, most recently updated in 2024.
SK		Saskatchewan has stated the province is developing a wage grid.
AB		Alberta has not made a commitment to a wage grid.
BC		British Columbia is conducting a wage grid pilot project.
YT		The Yukon has committed to implementing a wage grid before 2025 – 2026, moving from a wage floor.
NT		Wage grid.
NU		Wage scale (wage grid)
Last update: Nov 19 2024.

In addition to decent wages, training, and professional development opportunities, solving the early learning and child care workforce crisis requires improving staff benefits such as pensions, extended health care, group benefits, and paid sick leave, as well as addressing working condition issues such as paid preparation time and provision of support or additional staff. Note that issues of staff wages, professional development, credentials, and training are not addressed in this benchmark.

NL		In 2024, Newfoundland and Labrador introduced a group medical benefits program for educators and announced funding for new coordinators who provide quality and inclusion support in centres.
PE		Prince Edward Island announced a defined contribution pension plan in 2023. The province has also funded Pedagogical Support positions (i.e. float staff) to support educators on various tasks, such as paid preparatory time.
NS		Nova Scotia introduced a defined benefit pension plan and a group benefits plan in 2024, as well as a grant for family child care providers to contribute to health and dental benefits and an RRSP.
NB		New Brunswick has not introduced benefits or working condition initiatives as part of educator recruitment.
QC		In Quebec, benefits are part of employee compensation in funded ELCC services, including defined benefits, group insurance, vacation, and statutory holidays.
ON		Ontario does not include benefits for early childhood educators or working condition initiatives as part of its Workforce Strategy.
MB		Manitoba began offering a registered pension and other retirement supports to ELCC educators in 2010. The province has engaged a consulting firm to help develop a benefits framework.
SK		Saskatchewan provides grants of $145 per space to support non-profit centre boards and group family child care providers implement “workforce enhancements” which may include benefits such as pension plan contributions.
AB		Alberta has not introduced benefits or working condition initiatives for educators.
BC		British Columbia has not introduced benefits for educators or working condition initiatives.
YT		The Yukon introduced funding for an ELCC benefits package as part of territorial funding to programs in 2022.
NT		The Northwest Territories has proposed regulatory changes that include bonuses for Indigenous educators and staff with northern experience, and funding for additional staff beyond legal ratio requirements.
NU		Nunavut is developing new ELCC legislation that encompasses Inuit culture and languages and aims to foster inclusive, Inuit-centred programs.
Last update: Nov 9 2024.