For the first time since 2018, the Alberta government is increasing a wage supplement program for early childhood educators (ECEs) in the province with a major infusion of federal funds.
In a news release Thursday, the province said the existing supplements will increase by up to two dollars an hour starting in January.
With this change, the lowest-level ECEs — who must complete a short online course to become certified — will earn up to $20.89. The most qualified ECEs, Level 3, will earn up to $28.17.
ECEs who worked in October and November will also receive a one-time payment.
Those who averaged more than 30 hours a week and continued to work in December will be eligible for a $900 payment. ECEs who worked an average of less than 30 hours per week will receive $450.
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Child care groups say during the pandemic, about 4,000 ECEs in Alberta left the industry and never came back. Susan Cake with Child Care Now Alberta told Global News on Wednesday that she estimates there are approximately 16,000 ECEs currently working in Alberta.
“We need a plan for training more ECEs that work for people who are in urban as well as rural centers,” Cake said Wednesday.
“People who work as ECEs often cannot afford childcare for their own children, so it is difficult to have a family and stay in the sector. And it’s hard to live in rural Alberta as well,” she added.
The one-time payment for ECEs represents an investment of approximately $13.3 million in federal funding. The Alberta government will invest $2.72 million in provincial funding for the same one-time payments for certified ECEs working in out-of-school care programs.
The increased wage supplements for ECEs represent an investment of $165.5 million in federal funding through the end of fiscal year 2025-2026. For the same increased wage supplements for certified ECEs working in out-of-school care programs, the Alberta government will invest about $22.4 million in funding.
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Bradley Lafortune, executive director of Public Interest Alberta, said while the wage supplement and one-time payment are welcome news, low wages and inadequate benefits are driving ECEs — mostly women, he says — away from the field.
“The provincial government must establish a salary schedule with competitive wages and benefits. Anything less is a Band-Aid and will not solve the workforce challenges we see in early learning and child care,” said Lafortune.
Amanda Rosset with the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta said the $174-million investment is a good start to address problems in the profession.
“Better compensation for early childhood educators is a step in the right direction to transform the early learning and child care workforce into a recognized profession,” Rosset said.
“Early childhood educators are the heart and soul of a high-quality early learning and care system and deserve to be well supported for the very important work they do.”
In October, the paid hours eligible for wage supplements for frontline certified ECEs were expanded, making all paid hours eligible for the existing wage supplements.
Also in October, enrollment capacity has more than doubled for the free Level 1 childcare orientation course.
– With files from Emily Mertz, Global News
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
