Friday, January 22, 2016
Ministry of Education
Ontario Increasing Wages For Early Childhood Educators
Ontario Boosting Child Care Wages for Second Straight Year
For a second straight year, Ontario is increasing wages for early childhood educators and other child care professionals in licensed child care settings.
Ontario is providing a $1 per hour wage increase for eligible child care workers who qualify in the licensed child care sector, bringing the total wage increase up to $2 per hour, plus benefits. The province is also providing an additional $10 per day increase to home child care providers who qualify, bringing the total increase up to $20 per day. Both increases are effective January 2016.
The wage enhancement will help recruit and retain the best possible early childhood educators and child care professionals. It also closes the wage gap between registered early childhood educators working in kindergarten programs and child care professionals in licensed child care settings.
Supporting families in accessing high quality licensed child care is part of the government's plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in people's talents and kills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario's history, creating a dynamic, supportive environment where business thrives, and building a secure savings plan.
Quick Facts:
- Ontario is investing $269 million over three years to support the wage increase.
- Since 2003-04, the government has doubled child care funding to more than $1 billion annually.
- Since 2003, the number of licensed child care spaces in Ontario has grown to nearly 351,000 - an increase of 87 per cent.
- In April 2015, the province announced $120 million over three years in new funding dedicated to building safe, high-quality, licensed child care spaces in schools across the province.
- The province has already allocated more than $80 million of this funding resulting in 2,901 new licensed child care spaces coming to communities across Ontario.
- In August, the Child Care and Early Years Act was proclaimed to strengthen oversight of the province's unlicensed child care sector and increase access to licenses child care options.
Background Information:
Additional Resources:
Quotes:
"Ontario's early childhood educators and child care workers are passionate, hard-working, and dedicated. We know they're helping children get the best possible start in life, and giving parents valuable peace of mind. That's why we want to retain these valued caregivers, and support stable, high quality licensed child care programs for our children."
— Liz Sandals, Minister of Education
Media Contacts:
Alessandra Fusco
Minister's Office
416-212-3758
alessandra.fusco@ontario.ca
Gary Wheeler
Communications Branch
416-325-2454
gary.s.wheeler@ontario.ca
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