Table 1 ECEC models in the Canadian provinces
Neo-liberal | Inclusive liberal | Social democratic |
|---|---|---|
Low spending on ECEC as percentage of provincial budget (under 1%) | Moderate spending on ECEC as percentage of provincial budget (1% to 3%) | High spending on ECEC as percentage of provincial budget (over 3%) |
Limited availability of regulated spaces | Moderate availability of regulated spaces | High availability of regulated spaces |
Encouragement or indifference to the growth of for-profit childcare centers | Encouragement of a mix of for-profit, nonprofit centers, and public childcare centers | Actively reducing for-profit childcare centers in favor of nonprofit childcare centers |
Voluntary half-day kindergarten for 5-year-olds in public school system | Mandatory full-day kindergarten for 5-year-olds in public system | Mandatory full-day pre-kindergarten for all 4-year-olds and mandatory full-day kindergarten for all 5-year-olds in public school system |
Heavy reliance on subsidies targeted to low-income parents and parents of children with special needs | Pre-kindergarten programs in the public school system targeted to children of low-income parents | Elimination of all parental subsidies and provincial childcare tax credits |
Provincial tax credits to parents for childcare expenses | Waning reliance on parental subsidies and growing use of operating grants to childcare centers | One low-cost fee for all childcare centers (e.g., US$7 a day) |
Unregulated parental fees | Operating grants to centers to accommodate special needs children | Salaries of ECEC workers are comparable to teachers in elementary and high schools |
Unregulated childcare worker wages | No provincial tax credits for childcare expenses | High legislated standards of quality |
Low legislated standards of qualitye for regulated centers | Uniform parental fee schedule | Initiatives to integrate the care and education of 2- and 3-year-olds into the public school system |
Childcare policy placed in ‘social services’ department | Mandated salary grid for childcare workers | Creation of common local authorities (akin to school boards) for ECEC for 0- to 5-year-olds |
| Â | Moderate legislated standards of quality including mandating use of province-wide curriculum for 0- to 4-year-olds that links to the kindergarten curriculum | Â |
|  | Childcare policy pertaining to 0- to 5-year-olds placed in ‘education’ department |  |
| Â | Province-wide use of early development instrument for all children prior to, or during, kindergarten | Â |