What's New

The Early Years Study at 25

April 20, 2024, marks the 25th anniversary of the first Early Years Study: Reversing the Real Brain Drain by Margaret Norrie McCain and Dr. Fraser Mustard.Reversing the Real Brain Drain. We could not have composed a better line to capture the angst of that time. At the press launch for...

Bill C-35: An Act Respecting Early Learning and Child Care in Canada has received Royal Assent

Bill C-35: An Act Respecting Early Learning and Child Care in Canada has received Royal Assent. The Act marks an important milestone in our collective commitment to families to affordable, inclusive, and high-quality early learning and child care. It is a recognition of how critical our Canada-wide system is, and...

In most provinces, 4-year-olds aren’t at school — but it’s an economically smart way to create child-care spaces

The Conversation, January 25, 2024 Excerpt: "Economists have been increasingly vocal on the fiscal rationale for strategic investments in the early years.But how to invest wisely?In 2024, the question is urgent as provinces and territories look to the second half of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreements (CWELCC)...

Public schools can address Canada’s child-care deserts

Craig Alexander | The Globe and Mail, January 17, 2024 Excerpt: "There have been troubling developments on the child care and youth skills front. First, the share of children in care has fallen despite Ottawa reaching Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care agreements with all provinces and territories.One can understand...

Seven benefits to building down public education for younger children

Alexander Economic Views | November 30, 2023 "Given the considerable benefits to expanding early learning and the challenges in expanding licensed care, it is worth highlighting the merits of continuing to expand capacity through the public school system. This paper argues that there is considerable merit to expanding school-delivered early...

The solution to New Brunswick’s child care shortage can be found in our schools

Stephen McNeil and Scott McCain, November 2023 Over 3,000 children are waiting for child care in New Brunswick. This matters. As children wait for child care their early learning is stifled, their parents are unable to work, and the economy foregoes needed skills. We could eliminate that deficit fast and...

The Honourable Margaret McCain announces legacy gift to MSVU in support of early childhood

Mount Saint Vincent University, October 31, 2023 Excerpt: "Mount Saint Vincent University is thrilled to announce that The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain has made a legacy gift of $10 million to the University in support of teaching, research and practice on early childhood education.This marks the largest gift in MSVU’s...

Looking Back: Amanda Lang Interviews Margaret McCain

Bill C-35 Second Reading

Senator Rosemary Moodie, Senate of Canada, September 19, 2023 Excerpt: "The choice of public and not-for-profit care over private care. I believe that this choice is a good one and needs to be an essential principle underscoring any national child care Program. We must recognize that there are private operators...

Children’s early learning belongs in neighbourhood schools

The Conversation, August 28, 2023 Excerpt: "The beginning of each school year brings an opportunity to reflect, for children, families and also for policymakers. Some important lessons pertain to effective ways provinces and territories can expand children’s and families’ access to early learning programs.Canada-wide early learning and child-care agreements established...

Advocates criticize N.L. government's child-care update

CBC News, August 28, 2023 Excerpt: "Though Newfoundland and Labrador's education minister has been touting an increased number of child-care spaces operating at $10-a-day or lower across the province, advocates say those numbers don't paint the full picture. In a child-care update on Wednesday, Minister of Education Krista Lynn Howell...

Early Learning and Child Care Access Increasing Throughout Newfoundland and Labrador

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, August 23, 2023 Excerpt: "The Honourable Krista Lynn Howell, Minister of Education, provided an update today on actions underway as part of the $347 million in investments relating to early learning and child care training, staffing and space creation in Newfoundland and Labrador.As part of...

Creating more child care spaces and making investments to support early childhood educators

Government of Prince Edward Island, August 21, 2023 Excerpt: "Today the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, Prince Edward Island Premier, Dennis King, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Jenna Sudds, and provincial Minister of Education and Early Years, Natalie Jameson joined the PEI Early Childhood Development Association (ECDA) to...

Making Space: 2023 Roadmap on Early Learning and Childcare

Jimmy Pratt Foundation | July 6, 2023 It is an exciting time for young children and their families in Newfoundland and Labrador. Fees for regulated child care are set at $10/day. Our Early Childhood Educators are well-qualified to provide high-quality programs – and the workforce is growing.Still, most parents cannot...

Why early childhood education?

Carol Loughrey, Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation Inc. Board MemberPresentation to the Headstart Gala Moncton, May 18, 2023 Thank you for that kind introduction.C’est un grand plaisir pour moi d’être ici ce soir pour le premier gala de levée de fonds pour Moncton Headstart. I am honoured to be...

More kindergartners, families will benefit from pilot expansion

Government of British Columbia, May 15, 2023 Excerpt: "A pilot has expanded to nearly double the number of schools in B.C., providing more families with access to affordable early learning and child care, before and after school, conveniently located in the kindergarten classroom.“Adding more Seamless classrooms means providing continuity for...

The 19th Annual Summer Institute on Early Childhood Development Ensuring equity and inclusion in early learning and child care

May 11, 2023 | George Brown College, Waterfront Campus, 51 Dockside Drive, Toronto, ON The Summer Institute is an annual collaboration between the School of Early Childhood at George Brown College and the Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto....