Call to Action # 12

Why “Stalled”?

The National Progress Report on Early Learning and Childcare has not been updated since Aug. 22, 2019 and there has been no update on the Indigenous Early Learning and Childcare Framework other than “Canada Country Background Report – Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care” released by Employment and Social Development Canada in July 2021 that explored:

• Early Childhood and Education and Care (ECEC) Quality in Canada
• Policy Context
• Curriculum and Pedagogy
• Workforce Development

The above report touched on the Indigenous Early Learning and Childhood Framework as part of a historical analysis.

April 19 – Budget 2021 – $2.5 billion over five years to build on the existing distinctions-based approach to Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care, with a long-term investment in Indigenous-led programming that parallels the government’s commitment to provinces and territories. This includes $515 million for before-and after-school care on reserve, plus additional support for First Nations programming and capacity-building as well as support for Inuit and Métis programming and capacity-building

Oct. 30, 2020 – Additional funding of $120.7M for Indigenous Early Learning and Childcare Centres to support up to 35,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children.

Not all provinces and territories have provided details on Indigenous investments to support the federal Indigenous Early Learning Child Care Framework. The National Progress Report on Early Learning and Childcare released on Aug, 22, 2019 provides details on how provinces are investing federal funds to implement the program. BC, Ontario, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and the Yukon were the only province and/or or territory that provided any details specific to Indigenous initiatives.

Indigenous children are included with children with additional support needs, francophone children and recent immigrants. They represent an unknown percentage of 2,955 (14%) of the total of 21,205 new child care spaces created in 2017 – 2018.

April 30, 2019 – The Indigenous Early Learning Child Care Framework announced on June 10, 2017 was formally launched on Sept. 17, 2018. The Government of Canada, is committing up to $1.7 billion over 10 years to strengthen early learning and child care programs and services for Indigenous children and families starting in 2018-19.

• Over the next 10 years, up to $1.02 billion will support Early Learning and Child Care for First Nations and will be managed in partnership with First Nations.
• Up to $111 million will support early learning and child care for Inuit and will be managed in partnership with Inuit.
• Up to $450 million will support early learning and child care for the Métis Nation and will be managed in partnership with the Métis Nation.