N.W.T., Ottawa to spend $4.6 million to enhance wages for early childhood educators

YELLOWKNIFE – The Northwest Territories and federal governments have announced $4.6 million in funding between 2022 and 2024 to enhance wages for early childhood educators in the territory.

Licensed early learning and child-care programs will receive more than $12,700 per full-time equivalent in the first year and $16,250 in the second.

The territory says the recruitment and retention incentive is available to about 300 educators.

The N.W.T. government signed a $51-million, five-year child-care agreement with the federal government in December.

It aims to reduce child-care fees to $10 a day and create 230 new spaces by 2026.

Early learning and child-care providers have criticized the initial rollout of the funding, saying it failed to prioritize staff shortages and the lack of available spaces.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2022.