| Backgrounder
Federal/Provincial/Territorial
Children’s Initiatives The Government of Canada has a long-term commitment to ensure Canadian children have a good start in life and plays a major role in supporting Canadian families and their children through a variety of mechanisms, including investments in early childhood development and in early learning and child care. In May 1999, federal, provincial and territorial governments 1 published A National Children’s Agenda – Developing a Shared Vision. The core of the Agenda is its vision and values for children, founded on the belief that children’s well-being is a priority for all Canadians. The Agenda also sets out goals for our children and ourselves, and suggests ways Canadians can work together to achieve these goals. Finally, the Agenda discusses tracking children’s progress and sharing information in order that we can know how to reach our goals. The shared vision of the National Children's Agenda acts as a guide for governments in their ongoing efforts to support children and families. Major initiatives that have been introduced are the Early Childhood Development Agreement, the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care, and the National Child Benefit.
In September 2000, Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments reached an Early Childhood Development (ECD) Agreement to improve and expand early childhood development programs and services across the country. In 2002-2003, the Government of Canada transferred $400 million to provinces and territories through the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST) to support their investments in early development programs and services. In 2003-2004, this transfer will grow to $500 million. Provincial and territorial governments have agreed to use this funding to improve and expand services in four key areas: healthy pregnancy, birth and infancy; parenting and family supports; early childhood development, learning and care; and community supports. Since the Agreement was reached, provincial and territorial governments have announced investments in early childhood development programs such as nutrition and screening of newborns, preschool programs and child care, and parenting supports. To give Canadians a clear idea of the progress being made, governments agreed to report annually on their investments in early childhood development programs and services as well as to provide regular reports on how young children are doing. Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care Building on the September 2000 ECD Agreement, on March 13, 2003, Federal, Provincial, Territorial Ministers Responsible for Social Services reached agreement on a framework for improving access to affordable, quality, provincially and territorially regulated early learning and child care programs and services. Under the Multilateral Framework, the Government of Canada is providing $900 million over five years to support provincial and territorial government investments in early learning and child care. Early learning and child care programs and services funded through this initiative will primarily provide direct care and early learning for children in settings such as child care centres, family child care homes, preschools, and nursery schools. Types of investments could include capital and operating funding, fee subsidies, wage enhancements, training, professional development and support, quality assurance, and parent information and referral. Programs and services that are part of the formal school system will not be included in this initiative. Governments 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, beginning with a baseline report in November 2003. The baseline report is included in Early Childhood Development Activities and Expenditures: Government of Canada Report 2002-2003. National Child Benefit Through the National Child Benefit (NCB) 2, the Government of Canada is working with its provincial and territorial partners and First Nations to help prevent and reduce child poverty and to support parents in their efforts to find and keep jobs. As its contribution to the NCB, the Government of Canada is increasing the child benefits it provides to all low-income families with children. The federal Budget 2003 announced a significant increase of $965 million per year in the NCB Supplement to the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB). This increase is projected to bring the maximum annual benefit for a first child to $3,243 by 2007-2008 and to $6,259 for a two-child family—more than double the amount provided in 1996-1997. With these increases, assistance to families with children through the CCTB is projected to reach $10 billion in 2007-2008. Investments in programs and services for children and their families by provincial and territorial governments and First Nations are estimated to have increased from $692.4 million in 2001-2002 to $777 million in 2002-2003. These investments include initiatives such as child benefits and earned income supplements, child/day care initiatives, early childhood services and services for children at risk, and supplementary health benefits.
Under the ECD Agreement
and the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care, each
participating government reports annually on its investments. For information
on provincial and territorial investments under these agreements, refer
to the respective government’s Website.
These reports are available on the Social Union Web site at www.socialunion.ca. To obtain a paper copy, please call 1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622-6232) or TTY: 1 800 465-7735. Under the National Child Benefit Governance and Accountability Framework, federal, provincial and territorial governments have committed to providing a report, at least once a year, on the performance of the National Child Benefit initiative. In July 2003, federal, provincial and territorial governments released their fourth progress report: the National Child Benefit Progress Report: 2002. The report is available at www.nationalchildbenefit.ca.
1. The Government of Quebec has stated that while sharing the same concerns as other governments for children, it does not adhere to the National Children’s Agenda, the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Early Childhood Development Agreement or the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care. The Government of Quebec is receiving its share of funding from the Government of Canada for early childhood development and early learning and child care through the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CSHT). In this document, references to joint federal/provincial/territorial positions do not include Quebec. 2. The Government of Quebec has stated that it agrees with the basic principles of the National Child Benefit (NCB). Quebec chose not to participate in the NCB because it wanted to assume control over income support for children in Quebec. However, it has adopted a similar approach to the NCB
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