We, the Early Childhood Educators, Child care assistants, and supporters, call on the government to ensure fair and equitable wage support for all ECEs—regardless of the type of centre in which they work.

The Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) agreements provide wage support and funding enhancements to staff working in non-profit and publicly funded centres, while excluding qualified educators working in private, for-profit, non-funded centres. This creates an unfair two-tiered system in a profession where we all share the same responsibilities, standards, and love for the work we do.

Why This Matters:

       •      ECEs & CCAs in private centres are fully licensed professionals who follow the same curriculum frameworks, safety regulations, and professional codes of conduct as those in funded settings.

       •      Many private centres are small, educator-run businesses committed to high-quality care—but without funding, they cannot compete with wages in funded centres.

       •      This inequality hurts children and families when programs are forced to close rooms, charge higher childcare fees, shorten hours, or reduce staffing due to retention challenges.

We are demanding the following changes:

       1.    Extension of wage top-up and funding support to ALL licensed childcare centres, including for-profit, non-funded programs.

       2.    Government recognition of ALL ECEs and CCAs as essential professionals, regardless of their centre’s business model.

       3.    Equity in funding to promote quality, stability, and access for every child and family in our communities