SECTION II
EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD CARE ACTIVITIES AND EXPENDITURES: GOVERNMENT OF CANADA REPORT 2004-2005 and 2005-2006

1. INTRODUCTION

Federal/Provincial/Territorial Initiatives Supporting Early Childhood Development, Early Learning and Child Care

The Government of Canada provides cash transfers to the provinces and territories to support their investments in early childhood development and early learning and child care under two federal/provincial/territorial initiatives: the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Agreement (September 2000) and the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care (March 2003).⁴

Details about the ECD Agreement are outlined in Section I, Early Childhood Development Activities and Expenditures: Government of Canada Report 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.

Details related to the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care are presented in this section.

Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care

On March 13, 2003, federal/provincial/territorial Ministers Responsible for Social Services agreed on a framework for improving access to affordable, quality, provincially and territorially regulated early learning and child care services.

The Multilateral Framework, which builds on the commitments made by governments in the ECD Agreement (reported in Section I), has two main objectives:

• to promote early childhood development; and
• to support the participation of parents in employment or training by improving access to affordable, quality early learning and child care programs and services.

The full text of the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care is featured in Annex E of this report.

Under the Multilateral Framework, the Government of Canada agreed to support the provinces and territories over five years, to assist their investments in early learning and child care. For their part, the provinces and territories agreed to further invest in provincially and territorially regulated early learning and child care programs for children under six.

Public Reporting

As part of the Multilateral Framework, governments agreed to report annually to Canadians on their progress in improving access to affordable, quality early learning and child care programs.

These 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 reports on activities and expenditures fulfill the Government of Canada's commitment to report annually on all early learning and child care programs and services, as defined in the Multilateral Framework.

Previous reports can be found at www.ecd-elcc.ca.

Federal Transfers to Support Provincial and Territorial Early Learning and Child Care Programs and Services

In 2003, the Government of Canada committed to support the Multilateral Framework by transferring funding to the provinces and territories, to support their investments in early learning and child care programs and services. Budget 2007 sets out funding levels for the CST, including ongoing funding for ELCC, through 2013-2014 and proposes the introduction of an annual 3% escalator beginning in 2009-2010.

Table 1.1 provides details on federal transfers to the provinces and territories in support of early learning and child care programs.

Table 1.1: Cash Transfers in Support of the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care ($ millions)

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	Total
Newfoundland and Labrador	0.4	2.4	3.6	4.7	5.4	16.5
Prince Edward Island	0.1	0.6	1.0	1.3	1.5	4.5
Nova Scotia	0.7	4.4	6.5	8.6	10.0	30.2
New Brunswick	0.6	3.5	5.2	6.9	8.0	24.3
Quebec	5.9	35.4	53.0	70.4	81.9	246.5
Ontario	9.7	58.2	87.5	116.7	136.5	408.4
Manitoba	0.9	5.5	8.2	10.8	12.6	38.0
Saskatchewan	0.8	4.7	6.9	9.1	10.5	31.9
Alberta	2.5	15.0	22.8	31.0	36.3	107.6
British Columbia	3.3	19.7	29.7	39.6	46.4	138.6
Yukon	0.02	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.3	1.0
Northwest Territories	0.03	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.5	1.4
Nunavut	0.02	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.3	1.0
TOTAL	25.0	150.0	225.0	300.0	350.0	1,050.0
Note: Payments are notionally provided under the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST) in 2003-04 and under the Canada Social Transfer (CST) for 2004-05 and beyond. Figures are based on Statistics Canada population estimates up to 2006-07 and projections for 2007-08.  Figures beyond 2003-04 are subject to revision upon periodic release of Statistics Canada official population estimates.  Totals may not add due to rounding.

Scope and Structure of Section II

The early learning and child care activities in this report are organized alphabetically according to the federal department or agency responsible for the activity. For each activity, there is a capsule description outlining the main focus of the program or service. This is followed by information, where available, about major changes that have taken place during 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 with regard to availability, affordability and quality, as well as an expenditure chart.

All program expenditures and information about program availability are for children from birth to age six, unless otherwise indicated. Where possible, information on availability includes the number of regulated child care spaces. The expenditures listed are direct investments.

All of the programs and services in this report are also featured in Section I, Early Childhood Development Activities and Expenditures: Government of Canada Report 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. In particular, the six early learning and child care programs and services for Aboriginal communities are described in Section I, Chapter 6, while the program on Canadian Forces bases is featured in Section I, Chapter 4.

The expenditure information for programs and services described in this report mirrors the expenditure information presented in Section I, and does not represent additional expenditures for these activities in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.

All expenditures have received Senior Financial Advisor or Comptroller approval from their respective Department, except where indicated.

---