Preface

Preface

In September 2000, the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments reached an historic agreement to improve and expand the services and programs they provide for children under six and their families. In 2002-2003, the Government of Canada transferred $400 million to provinces and territories through the Canada Health and Social Transfer to support their investments in early childhood development programs and services in four key areas-healthy pregnancy, birth and infancy; parenting and family supports; early childhood development, learning and care; and community supports. In 2003-2004, this transfer will grow to $500 million. All governments committed to report annually to Canadians on their progress in enhancing early childhood development programs and services.

Building on the ECD Agreement, on March 13, 2003, Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Social Services reached agreement1 on a framework for improving access to affordable, quality, provincially and territorially regulated early learning and child care programs and services. Under this Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care, the Government of Canada is providing $900 million over five years to support provincial and territorial government investments in early learning and child care. Governments have also committed to transparent public reporting that will give Canadians a clear idea of the progress being made in improving access to affordable, quality early learning and child care programs and services. Governments agreed to report annually to Canadians on early learning and child care programs and services, beginning with a baseline report for 2002-2003.

This report is the Government of Canada's fulfillment of the commitment to report annually on the progress it has made in enhancing early childhood development programs and services since the ECD Agreement was put in place. It also includes the Government of Canada's baseline report on all early learning and child care programs and services as defined in the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care.

Governments also agreed to make regular public reports on outcome indicators of child well-being using an agreed upon set of common indicators. As a complement to the information in this report, the reader may wish to read The Well-Being of Canada's Young Children: Government of Canada Report 2003. This is the second report on child well-being published by the Government of Canada.