Toronto: Durham region will host one of the seven new Government of Canada projects for innovative practices in early learning and child care in the Greater Toronto Area.
The seven projects are receiving nearly $1.8 million in funding.
The seven projects being funded are:
- Rebuilding the village: A novel approach to inclusive early learning and child care environment by the Regional Municipality of Durham
- Scaling ELCC innovation led by Kerry McCuaig at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education’s Atkinson Centre
- Inclusive early childhood service system action research project led by Dr. Kathryn Underwood at Ryerson University’s School of Early Childhood Studies
- Social finance models for ELCC service providers by the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing
- A national network on early learning and child care human resources innovation and decent work by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care
- Knowledge production and transfer to support innovative approaches to ELCC service delivery by the Childcare Resource and Research Unit
- Improved staff qualifications and service quality through enhanced and accelerated ECE training by the Learning Enrichment Foundation
These projects are supported by long-term Government of Canada investments announced in Budgets 2016 and 2017, totaling $7.5 billion over 11 years to create more high-quality, affordable child care across the country. Of this amount, $100 million is going towards early learning and child care innovation, including an investment of $10 million over two years in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
“The early years of life are critical to a child’s development and future well-being. As the needs of Canadian families evolve, we are committed to finding creative solutions to ensure our kids have the opportunity to experience the kinds of quality early learning that will help them build the skills needed to succeed,” said Adam Vaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Member of Parliament for Spadina—Fort York.
“Children are our future. We are investing in the professional development of Canada’s early childhood assistants and early childhood educators to ensure all children and families have access to high-quality, inclusive early learning and child care. Working with partners like The Learning Enrichment Foundation will help us further develop the skills of our education and child care workforce,” said Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Member of Parliament for York South—Weston.
These projects were selected as part of a call for concepts to find new and innovative ways to improve early learning and child care service delivery launched in June 28, 2018.
On June 12, 2017, the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Early Learning and Child Care signed a Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework.