Amendments to legislation help GNWT build an affordable early learning and child care system

News Releases

Yellowknife — May 5, 2023

Amendments to the Child Day Care Act and the Early Learning and Child Care Standards Regulations,  and new Early Learning and Child Care Funding Regulations came into force on May 1, 2023.

The updated and new regulations:

  • Establish maximum fees for newly licensed early learning and child care programs that are consistent with the rates in place since the roll-out of the Child Care Fee Reduction (CCFR) Subsidy.
  • Streamline how the GNWT delivers CCFR Subsidy funding to licensed programs to reduce administrative burden on program operators.
  • Increase reporting measures to improve transparency and accountability by requiring the GNWT to produce annual reports.
  • Update language for consistency and clarity; for example, ‘early learning and child care facility’ will replace ‘child day care facility’ throughout.

 

These changes align with what we have heard through engagement in June 2022 and April 2023.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is taking a phased approach to updating the regulations in line with changes to the early learning and child care sector as part of its work with the federal government to implement a Canada-wide system. The GNWT will continue to engage the early learning and child care sector throughout the coming year on updates to regulations that will establish a wage grid for early childhood educators, a certification process for early childhood educators working in centre-based programs, new funding mechanisms for licensed programs, and additional protection for families.

Quote(s)

“The new Child Day Care legislation will support the accessibility, affordability, quality and inclusivity of early learning and child care in the NWT and the long-term vision for a Canada-wide early learning and child care system. I look forward to further engagement with the early learning and child care sector as we work towards creating a universal child care system in the NWT.”

- R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment

Quick facts

  • The Child Day Care Act and Regulations set minimum standards that ensure the quality, care, instruction, and supervision of children in facilities outside of their home.
  • In 2021, the GNWT signed the Canada-NWT Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. This agreement provides an investment of over $51 million by the federal government into the NWT’s early learning and child care sector over five years. Although many other jurisdictions had the existing legislative authority to allow for the full and immediate implementation of their agreements with Canada, the NWT’s Child Day Care Act and Standards Regulations did not provide the authorities to implement many aspects, including the authorities to establish a wage grid, implement cost control measures, and collect data on inclusion from licensed programs.
  • In June 2022, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) invited public input on proposed amendments to the Child Day Care Act to support the early learning and child care system. Following engagement, a What We Heard Report was published.
  • In April 2023, ECE engaged with the public on the first phase of amendments to the Child Day Care Regulations needed to align with the Child Day Care Act. A What We Heard Report from this engagement will be made available.

Related links

 

For media requests, please contact:

Briony Grabke

Manager, Public Affairs and Communications

Department of Education, Culture and Employment

Government of the Northwest Territories

briony_grabke@gov.nt.ca

867-767-9352  Ext. 71073