Canada – Northwest Territories Early Learning and Child Care Agreement – 2020 to 2021 Canada – Northwest Territories Early Learning and Child Care Agreement - 2021 to 2025 Canada – Northwest Territories Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement – 2021 to 2026Affordable child care, a stronger economy, March 6/25Toward $10-a-day: An Early Learning and Child Care Backgrounder, March 6/25
For more Canada-wide policy tracking visit the Atkinson Centre Policy Monitor
Agreement/Action Plan
Create 300 more high-quality, affordable regulated child care spaces, through non-profit, publically provided/public programming and family day homes to meet the needs of children and families.
Government Announcements/Updates
Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Framework
Child Day Care Regulations review to bring legislation in line with CWELCC agreements.
A What We Heard Report was published in June 2023 summarizing feedback received on the first phase of engagement into amendments to the Child Day Care Act and the Early Learning and Child Care Standards Regulations, and new Early Learning and Child Care Funding Regulations
Celebrating the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement with the Northwest Territories
Federal investment of $51.1 million over 5 years
Reduce average child care fees for children five years of age and younger by 50 per cent in 2022 and further reducing to an average of $10/day across the territory by 2025-2026
Support the recruitment and retention of early childhood educators with a retention bonus and the implementation of a wage grid.
November 18/24Early Learning and Child Care Regulations build foundation for wage grid and certification
February 8/23 GNWT Further reduces child care fees for families and increases funding for licensed operators
March 3/22 Government of Canada and Government of the Northwest Territories: child care fees in NWT to reduce by 50 per cent on average
October 20/22 Early Learning and Child Care Update
February 22/22 Budget 2022-2023
Create 300 licensed early learning and child care spaces by 2025-2026 at the rate of 75 new spaces per year.
Support culturally appropriate programs grounded in Indigenous worldviews to meet the needs of Indigenous communities to ensure Indigenous children and families have access to affordable, high quality early learning and child care.
Support participation in inclusive early learning and child care programs by providing funding for licensed programs that support children with diverse needs, such as those who are vulnerable and/or who have specific developmental needs.
June 26/25Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Framework
March 3/25New reports on early learning and child care inclusion practices and supports available
May 14/24Building more child care spaces for families in the Northwest Territories
February 22/24Northwest Territories to achieve average of $10-a-day regulated child care on April 1
January 5/23 Early Childhood Infrastructure Fund accepting proposals to support the creation of centre-based child care spaces
February 16/23 Funding proposals are being accepted to help improve child inclusion and participation in early learning and child care programs
N/A
Annual reports starting in fiscal year 2022 – 2023, no later than October 1 of each fiscal year, report on the results and expenditures of early learning and child care programs and services attributable to the funding provided by Canada under CWELLC Agreement.
December 13/24National Progress Report on Early Learning and Child Care 2020 to 2021
March 1/24Governments of Canada and Northwest Territories announce early learning and child care three-year action plan
© 2025 Atkinson Centre, All rights reserved Contact Us