October 30, 2020 Gatineau, Quebec From: Employment and Social Development Canada
News release
Applications accepted until December 3, 2020
The early learning and child care sector is evolving in increasingly complex and challenging environments. Identifying innovative practices and solutions that better meet the needs of children and families is necessary to improving early learning and child care practices for the benefit of Canadian families.
Today, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen, launched a call for proposals for innovative projects that aim to improve the quality of early learning and child care across Canada by fostering cutting-edge practices. Priority will be given to projects that address the needs of families through the next phase of recovery from the pandemic.
Additional consideration will be given to projects promoting cultural diversity and inclusion and to projects primarily targeting children and families with unique child care needs. This includes Indigenous families, lower-income families, families with children with varying abilities, newcomer families, single-parent families, Black and other racialized families, families from official language minority communities, families working non-standard hours and families in underserved communities. Projects that support the next generation of leaders, such as researchers, practitioners and service providers, will also be considered.
Canadian not-for-profit organizations, provincial and territorial entities, municipalities and Indigenous organizations are encouraged to submit a proposal by December 3, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Quotes
“The Government of Canada is committed to promoting and investing in innovative projects that help Canadian children get the best start in life and have a fair chance to succeed. We must explore new ideas and solutions in early learning and child care to meet the diverse and emerging needs of Canadian children and their families.”
– Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Ahmed Hussen
Quick facts
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The scope of the projects can be local, regional or national and must target the needs of children under six years of age and their families.
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Organizations based in the province of Quebec cannot apply for funding through this call for proposals. The Government of Canada is in discussion with the Government of Quebec to ensure early learning child care innovation funding is available for Quebec-based projects.
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Virtual information sessions in both official languages will be held on November 12 and 17 to help organizations apply. Interested organizations must send an email to NC-DGOP-POB-ELCC-AGJE-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca with their preferred official language and any request for accommodations.
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Budgets 2016 and 2017 provided funding of $7.5 billion over 11 years for early learning and child care. Of this amount, $100 million is being dedicated to early learning and child care innovation.