Whereas affordable, quality child care provides the foundation for lifelong success and benefits to society overall, and child care is important for the economy and quality of life for British Columbians; And whereas one of the greatest barriers to increasing child care spaces is the lack of qualified Early Childhood Educators: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to support the Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia and the coalition of Child Care Advocates proposal to implement a competitive, publicly funded Early Childhood Education Provincial Wage Grid, made possible by a significant increase in operation subsidies for child care facilities, as a step towards their plan for a universal child care system.
Ministry of Children and Family Development Government recognizes the critical role Early Childhood Educators ECE play in the quality of BCs child care system. That is why work has been underway to ensure ECEs receive appropriate pay and recognition so that the sector has enough skilled workers to deliver a service that families, communities and employers can depend on. On July 8, 2021, BC and the Government of Canada signed the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care bilateral agreement. As part of that agreement, BC has committed to develop a Wage Grid for ECEs. Initial steps have been taken with the ECE Wage Enhancement program. Work will continue on this important item through engagement with key stakeholders and select child care providers from across BC. The Province is committed to supporting the career opportunity of Early Childhood Educators by addressing the long standing issue of insufficient wages.