Today the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Education, announced the implementation of a rate escalator for child care services operating in the Labrador region to support the recruitment and retention of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) in that region.

The rate escalator will increase the Operating Grant for Labrador child care services participating in the program by 15 per cent, with the requirement that all funds received through this increase be directed toward compensation for ECEs at these child care centres. This change will help address the identified issues with competing wages in other sectors in the Labrador region.

This change builds on significant funding initiatives introduced provincially in recent years to support the recruitment and retention of ECEs, including:

• An income supplement once minimum qualifications based on certification and hours worked are achieved between $12,900 and $16,900 annually;
• Funding to cover the cost of online ECE courses up to the post-secondary ECE Certificate Level, at $250 per course;
• A bursary for required field placements for the ECE Certificate at post-secondary institutions, up to $2,500; and
• An ECE graduate bursary up to $7,500 upon graduation from the ECE Diploma program.

The Provincial Government has been working on various solutions to address the specific child care challenges in the Labrador region. Recently the Department of Education implemented a Casual Caregiver Pilot Program that permits approved child care centres to hire a temporary employee without an ECE certification on a short-term basis, under the supervision of a qualified ECE. While this pilot applies to centres across the province dealing staff shortages, it was developed in response to challenges identified by centres in Labrador.

Quotes
“As our government continues to focus on improving affordable child care in Newfoundland and Labrador, we recognize that challenges exist in the Labrador region that must be addressed. This rate escalator will help support operators in retaining and attracting qualified staff and will improve compensation for Early Childhood Educators in the Labrador region.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Education

“I commend the Department of Education for listening to the concerns expressed by child care centres and Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) in Labrador and responding with improvements that increase compensation for ECEs, which, in turn, will help address recruitment and retention. These initiatives enhance our Government’s commitment to supporting affordable, accessible and quality child care in Labrador and all regions of the Province.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs

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Media contacts
Tina Coffey
Education
709-729-1906, 687-9903
tcoffey@gov.nl.ca

Allan Bock
Labrador Affairs Secretariat
709-896-4449, 899-6446
allanbock@gov.nl.ca