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MCFD recently launched two new initiatives to help address the critical shortage of ECE’s in BC.

ECE Incentive Grant Program

The Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) recognizes the importance of recruiting qualified Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) to support the availability of quality child care spaces. To address the shortage of ECEs in the province, MCFD is launching an ECE Incentive Grant Program. This grant will provide ECEs who have not worked in a licensed child care facility for at least two years with an incentive grant to attract them to employment in a licensed child care facility. A maximum of 100 full time applicants will be approved to receive this grant.

BC Early Childhood Educators Loan Assistance Program

The Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) recognizes the importance of recruiting and retaining qualified Early Childhood Educators (ECEs).  In response to this the MCFD in partnership with the Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED) has implemented the British Columbia Early Childhood Educator Loan Assistance Program.

Under this program, recent ECE graduates may be eligible for a maximum award of $2,500 to assist in the repayment of their B.C. student loan.

Another initiative that is worth monitoring is the BC-Alberta Trade, Invesment and  Labour Mobility Trade Agreement. This agreement includes Early Childhood Educators as well as a whole array of other professions.  Teachers from BC and Alberta recently signed the Teacher Mobility Agreement under this Agreement which means that as of April 1, 2008, teachers from Alberta’s public and independent schools will be able to teach in British Columbia’s schools and vice versa. The TMAcomes one full year ahead of the original deadline of April 1, 2009 for full labour mobility. There is little doubt that this BC-Alberta Agreement will have a major impact on labour mobility between BC and and Alberta.  Alberta have already been doing a number of things to attract and retain ECE’s in the field.  The main questions to consider are:

• Will what BC is now offering be enough to compete with what Alberta offers?
• Once full labour mobility occurs will the impact be positive for BC when it comes to attracting and retaining ECE’s within the Province?

I previously wrote about this Agreement here.

Summary information on the BC-Alberta Trade, Invesment and  Labour Mobility Trade Agreement is listed below.

The growing community of Abbotsford, British Columbia is facing significant challenges related to child care.  According to a recent article in the Abbotsford Times there are nearly 7000 children under five who need child care but only 1175 licensed child care spaces available.