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Halifax—Nova Scotia suffers from tunnel vision on the economic problems and solutions facing the province. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia just released a publication, A New Economy Needs Child Care, in an attempt to take the blinders off.
According to Christine Saulnier, Nova Scotia Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, “There are many reasons why this publication is timely. The Nova Scotia government’s investment in the early years is shamefully inadequate and its recent budget once again provides little new investment. The federal government’s just released budget once again includes no investment to build a system of early learning and child care. For at least another year, families are left struggling to find affordable, quality child care and our early learning teachers are left with some of the lowest wages in the country.”
Primary author, Tammy Findlay, Political Scientist and Associate Professor at Mount St. Vincent University, goes on to say, “This publication is also timely because the monthly theme of the ONE NS Coalition is Cradle to Career and yet there is no apparent focus on child care, which is not surprising given that there was no mention of child care in the Ivany report.”
“And there is a review of regulated child care going on in Nova Scotia that is largely below the radar. This issue needs to be a high priority on our public agenda right now.”
James Sawler, Economist, Mount St. Vincent University, says: “This publication makes a crystal clear case that the lack of financial support for Early Learning and Child Care neglects a significant and growing body of evidence that this investment pays dividends in spades: it is critical for labour force development, will help retain and attract people to our communities, and provides an overall boost to the economy. An added bonus is that it basically pays for itself.”
“Families in our province need a system of Early Learning and Child Care that provides quality, inclusive care that they can afford. This system helps build the critical foundation for our youngest and most vulnerable community members. These children are the future of our province,” says Stella Lord, contributor to this commentary and CCPA-NS Research Associate, as well as Coordinator of the Community Society to End Poverty, Nova Scotia.
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