Recent News
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April 12, 2021
Canada’s Leaders Sound the Alarm on the Childcare Crisis
“A diverse group of Canada’s leaders are saying the time has come to view the absence of early childhood education and care as a Canada-wide emergency and are asking the federal government to get on with the business of fixing it.
In an open letter to Minister Freeland, six other federal ministers and Opposition Leaders, signed by public policy and business leaders from across the country, The Prosperity Project is calling for the introduction of a Canada-wide early learning and childcare (ELCC) system to address the needs of working families, citing multiple research studies that show women are exiting the workforce due to the pressures of the pandemic. Joining the Prosperity Project to support this call are Business Council of Canada CEO Goldy Hyder, the Hon. Margaret McCain and Children First Canada Founder Sara Austin.
“We are mothers, white women, black women, women of colour and Indigenous women. As female leaders, we are taking action because the hardships of the crisis have been unevenly shared. In the world of work, we are witnessing significant negative consequences for women as they drop from the path to prosperity while it becomes apparent that others will never get the opportunity to participate in the first place,” said Pamela Jeffery, founder of The Prosperity Project, a not-for-profit organization created to ensure Canadian women are not left behind in the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.
The Prosperity Project is supporting a new ELCC platform for children and families across the country that is anchored by:
- Shared guiding principles affirmed in all jurisdictions focused on issues of quality, accessibility and affordability;
- Long-term, stable, national funding made available to “fund the services” including the training, recruitment and retention of well-paid and professional staff to help create attractive career prospects for early childhood educators-a predominantly female labour force;
- Ongoing benchmarking, assessment and planning to monitor outcomes across ELCC programs and ensure adherence to the guiding principles; and
- Equitable access to high quality and culturally appropriate ELCC for First Nations, Inuit and Métis children who often do not meet the minimum indices of social determinants of health.
Access the Open Letter:
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April 7, 2021
Early Years Study Newsletter #12 - April 7, 2021
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March 29, 2021
Early Years Study Newsletter #11 - March 29, 2021
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March 26, 2021
Early Learning and Childcare as Key Economic Infrastructure
Deloitte Canada
Investments in early childhood education and childcare (“ELCC”) can help put Canada on a higher trend economic growth path. A high-quality ELCC program that young children can attend for several years, where education is provided using a curriculum-based program delivered by trained educators can provide several benefits including:
- Benefits to Children: Investments can have positive impacts on the outcomes for children, including better behavioural/social skills, better mental and physical health, and better long-term labour market outcomes.
- Increase in the Labourforce Participation for Women: Expanding early childhood education can have a positive economic impact through a resulting boost in the labour participation of women.
- Benefits to Parents: Beyond increasing workforce participation for women, ELCC can help reduce parental stress, which benefits their mental health and in turn benefits their children, work performance, and standard of living.
- Promotion of Equality: There is also evidence that investments in ELCC disproportionately benefit lower income Canadians and this can help address socioeconomic challenges, such as income inequality.
- Decreased Reliance of Special Needs Education: There is evidence of the sustained impact of ELCC on reducing the need for special education in the US, the UK, Canada, and other advanced economies.
These gains create additional income that provide tax revenues to governments and reduce the demand for government transfers and other support programs. The purpose of this report is to highlight the literature on early childhood education (“ECE”) to demonstrate why further investments are necessary and how we can achieve a preferably universal system of early learning and childcare that will benefits our economy and society.
Access the Executive Summary:
Access the Full Report HERE.
Access the March 26, 2021 Future of Canada Conversations – Are we on the right track for Canada to thrive? webinar featuring Craig Alexander, Chief Economist and Executive Advisor, Deloitte Canada, Georgina Black, Managing Partner, Government, Public Services, and Health Care, Deloitte Canada, and the Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain.
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March 15, 2021
Early Years Study Newsletter #10 - March 15, 2021
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March 3, 2021
Early Years Study Newsletter #9 - March 3, 2021
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February 16, 2021
Early Years Study Newsletter #8 - February 16, 2021
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February 10, 2021
Early Years Study Newsletter #7 - February 10, 2021
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January 28, 2021
Early Years Study Newsletter #6 - January 28, 2021
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November 17, 2020
Early Years Study Newsletter #5 - November 17, 2020
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November 15, 2020
Canada needs a bold pro-growth strategy for both pandemic recovery and a successful future
The Globe and Mail
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September 21, 2020
Early Years Study Newsletter #4 - September 21, 2020
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September 15, 2020
Why Early Childhood Education should be in the Throne Speech
Craig Alexander, Partner & Chief Economist at Deloitte Canada via LinkedIn
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September 14, 2020
Furey’s commitment to $25-a-day child care is wise public policy
The Telegram
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August 24, 2020
Early Years Study Newsletter #3 - August 24, 2020
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June 23, 2020
Early Years Study Newsletter #2 - June 23, 2020
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June 14, 2020
A strong child-care system is essential to our recovery from the pandemic
The Globe and Mail
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May 27, 2020
Early Years Study Newsletter #1
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March 11, 2020
Investing in Early Childhood Education
The Agenda with Steve Paikin
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March 5, 2020
Invest in early childhood education or Canada will fall behind
Toronto Star
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March 2, 2020
The Honourable Mrs. Margaret McCain – The Early Years Study 4
In Conversation with Stephen Hurley
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February 29, 2020
Canada Lags in Early Childhood Education
CTV News
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February 22, 2020
New Study Calls for Increased Federal Funding for Early Childhood Education
VOCM Local News Now
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February 25, 2020
Canada’s low ranking for enrolment in early childhood education sparks concern for Lethbridge educators
Global News
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February 20, 2020
Why Canada needs to spend more on early childhood education
BNN Bloomberg
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February 20, 2020
New Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation Report Calls on Federal Government to Make Significant Investment in Early Childhood Education Funding
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February 19, 2020
Canada should spend more on early childhood education, new report says
The Globe and Mail
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December 1, 2019
On the Path to High Quality School-Age Child Care
Learn: The Newsletter of BC Education
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August 22, 2019
Early Childhood Educators Connect
Northern News Services
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November 17, 2019
Children learn through play – it shouldn’t stop at preschool
The Conversation Canada
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October 16, 2019
P.E.I. aims for 2020 rollout of public pre-kindergarten program
CBC News
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June 24, 2019
Canadian Mothercraft Society hosts expert panel and presents Bill Bosworth Memorial Award
On Monday June 24th, Canadian Mothercraft Society hosted the business community and experts in child development for a focused discussion about why early childhood matters.
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June 17, 2019
Margaret McCain awarded honorary doctorate in psychology from Université Laval
Université Laval
In recognition of her significant contributions to developmental psychology, Université Laval has awarded the Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain with an honorary doctorate in psychology.
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May 16, 2019
Ontario’s child care cuts will hurt low-income parents working or studying full-time
Linda White, Elizabeth Dhuey, Michal Perlman, and Petr Varmuza
The Conversation Canada
Reprinted in the National Post, May 17, 2019 -
April 29, 2019
Nova Scotia’s new pre-primary class gives kids a head start through play-based learning
Jessie Lee-McIssac and Joan Turner, Mount Saint Vincent University
The Conversation Canada
Reprinted in Halifax Chronicle Herald, April 30, 2019 -
March 18, 2019
I am an 'autism mom'. Here’s why Ontario is choosing the wrong path
Kimberley Maich, Memorial University Newfoundland
The Conversation Canada -
March 4, 2019
New research shows quality early childhood education reduces need for later special education
By David Philpott et al Memorial University Newfoundland
The Conversation Canada -
February 10, 2019
Full-day kindergarten is what Ontario needs for a stable future
By Kerry McCuaig, Atkinson Centre, OISE, University of Toronto
The Conversation Canada