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With over 100 people in attendance, ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½â€™s first Climate Action Summit saw community members contribute 100+ ideas on how to address the climate crisis at ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½.

Excerpt: "Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development announced that the Government of Alberta will receive $72 million of the $625 million in federal support for Canada’s child care sector to help ensure that safe and sufficient child care is available to support parents’ gradual return to work. This funding is in addition to the $45 million Alberta is receiving through the 2020-21 Canada-Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Bilateral Agreement to support child care programs and services for Alberta families."

Excerpt: "Starting ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½ 1, 2020, salaries will go up for 367 early childhood educators and more than 110 autism assistants and special needs assistants in the province. Early childhood education wages will include the following increases: $0.50 per hour increase for level 1 educators; $1 per hour increase for level 2 educators; and $1.50 per hour increase for level 3 educators. Special needs assistants and autism assistants will receive a $1 per hour wage increase."

Excerpt: "Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced $4 million in federal support for Prince Edward Island’s child care sector to help ensure that safe and sufficient child care spaces are available to support parents’ gradual return to work."

Excerpt: "Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced $17 million in federal support for Nova Scotia’s child care sector to help ensure that safe and sufficient child care spaces are available to support parents’ gradual return to work."

Excerpt: "Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced $14 million in federal support for New Brunswick’s child care sector to help ensure that safe and sufficient child care spaces are available to support parents’ gradual return to work."

Excerpt: "Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced $83 million in federal support for British Columbia’s child care sector to help ensure that safe and sufficient child care spaces are available to support parents’ gradual return to work."

The Atkinson Centre promotes research on child development, and the development of early learning policy and practice that serve young children and their families.

Excerpt: "Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced $10 million in federal support for Newfoundland and Labrador’s child care sector to help ensure that safe and sufficient child care spaces are available to support parents’ gradual return to work."

Excerpt: "A system that addresses the needs of parents and children requires building more physical infrastructure, and more affordable access, but critically it requires more educators. This involves not just better wages and benefits, but an infrastructure that sustains quality work including access to excellence in pre- and in-service training; pedagogical leadership, and the availability of special needs specialists and family support workers to help address child/family needs, as in most schools."

Excerpt: "Canada and Nunavut agree that the long term vision, principles and objectives for early learning and child care, which are set out in the Framework that is attached as Annex 1, will guide the investment of funds provided under this Agreement."

Presented by Kerry McCuaig, Atkinson Centre Fellow In Early Childhood Policy, to Pearson Centre, September 2020.