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Excerpt: "Growing Childcare Supports and Spaces - $4.3M - To improve access to childcare for families, continue the implementation of $10/day childcare and provide supports for operators to create more childcare spaces, with a commitment of 30 percent of new spaces for infants. This brings the total investment in reducing fees to $12.3 million."

Excerpt: "Alberta’s government has already provided $20 million to school authorities for the school nutrition program. This one-time grant increases the pre-existing funding by 25 per cent, bringing the total funding to $25 million to run nutrition programs for the 2023-24 school year. The grant will automatically flow to public, separate, francophone and applicable public charter schools through regular funding channels."

On February 3, 2024, the Department of Leadership, Higher & Adult Education's Student Association coordinated the 2nd Annual Human Rights & Equity Symposium.

Excerpt: "Today, the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, joined the Honourable Caitlin Cleveland, the Northwest Territories’ Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, to announce that the Northwest Territories will achieve an average of $10-a-day child care fees under the ���޾��ֲ�-wide early learning and child care system by April 1, 2024—two years ahead of the national target. Through a combination of funding provided under the ���޾��ֲ�–Northwest Territories Early Learning and Child Care Agreement as well as territorial funding, the governments of ���޾��ֲ� and the Northwest Territories are working together to improve access to high-quality, affordable and inclusive early learning and child care programs and services, with the goal of ensuring that Northwest Territories families that need or want to can access licensed child care for an average of $10 a day. Families in the Northwest Territories could save up to $9,120 a year for each child in licensed child care once fees reach an average of $10 a day."

Excerpt: "The B.C. government is helping people with everyday costs, including delivering more affordable homes, reducing the cost of child care, providing more meals and snacks in schools and boosting skills training so people can access good-paying jobs. Budget 2024 builds on this foundation by keeping more money in people’s pockets during tough times. More families with children will get more help with costs. Families will see a 25% increase to their monthly BC Family Benefit, with $248 million for a one-year BC Family Benefit Bonus, starting in July 2024; A family of four would receive up to $2,850 per year and with the bonus will now receive as much as $3,563; A single parent with one child would receive up to $2,250 and will now receive as much as $2,688 per year; On average, families will receive $445 more; More families will benefit. Approximately 66,000 more families, or 25% more, will receive the benefit and the bonus this year. A total of 340,000 families will benefit during the 12-month period."

Excerpt: "From public health, to child care and education, our government takes our responsibility to help and support parents in keeping kids safe and healthy very seriously. During the pandemic, thanks to measures like contract tracing, we kept kids in classrooms more than any other province did. We understood how important school is, not only for learning, but also for the social, mental and physical well-being of children. It wasn’t always easy, but was important to do the right thing for kids in B.C."

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: "Participants mentioned the need for the public school system to accommodate the increasing school-age population. The unique needs of new resident students, such as English and French as Additional Language students, were also acknowledged. At the same time, there was a recognition that the province has a robust education system on which to build. Participants also raised Early Learning and Child Care access as a concern. Limited access to Early Learning and Child Care prevents some parents from participating in the workforce. Early Learning and Child Care inaccessibility are felt more acutely by vulnerable segments of the population— women, lower-income families, and members of equity-deserving groups—creating additional barriers to social inclusion."

Excerpt: "Nova Scotia families will no longer be faced with wait-list or registration fees to attend provincially licensed and funded early learning and child-care programs. Under 2024-25 child-care operator funding agreements, the Department is banning wait-list and registration fees, which conflict with the government’s commitment to family-centred practices. “We are transforming Nova Scotia’s child-care system and part of that transformation is ensuring we build family-centred practices,” said Becky Druhan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “In the fall, I promised to end the practice of wait-list fees as part of our commitment to inclusive, accessible and affordable child care for families. I am very happy to say these extra fees will no longer be something parents have to worry about.”"

Excerpt: "In 2023, we added 74,000 new jobs – some of the strongest job growth in the country. We were the first among provinces in year-over-year growth in average hourly wages last year. In December, women’s employment increased more than in any other province. Further proof that increasing wages and reducing child care bills is good for families and good for business."

Addrew B. Campbell receives the 2024 Boonoonoonos Black History Month Award