Nova Scotia submits child-care action plan to Ottawa

The province has submitted its child-care action plan to the federal government.

Becky Druhan, Nova Scotia's minister of education, told reporters on Wednesday its report was submitted "very recently," but that collaboration with the federal government had been going on for "quite some time."

"It does require final approval by the feds and as soon as that's done, we look forward to it being released," Druhan said, adding the plan would cover the rest of the five-year agreement that would see $605 million allocated to achieve agreed-upon targets and objectives.

A spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada told CBC News in August the targets include reducing fees to an average of $10 a day for licensed child-care and creating 9,500 new licensed spaces by March 2026.

Once submitted and approved, the report would give Nova Scotia access to $123 million in federal funds for child care and early childhood education this year.

Assuming the federal government greenlights the report, Druhan said the first portion of money would be available by Nov. 15.

Benefits package announcement coming

"To be clear, we're full steam ahead and we have every confidence we will use and receive every dime available under the agreement with our federal partners," she said.

New child-care spaces are continuing to open, she said, and her department is continuing to support operators and to fund increases to early child care educator wages. 

Druhan expects an update on a health and retirement benefits package for early childhood educators will be announced before the end of the year, she said.

Nova Scotia has struggled with creating more licensed child-care spaces. Between July 2021 and Dec. 31, 2022, the province has said that 400 new spaces were created, falling short of its goal of 1,500.