A childcare advocacy group says a lack of benefits and hope for the future is creating a shortage of early childhood educators.
Patrice Gordon with Childcare Now called the working conditions a “bad situation,” where most ECEs are unable to access medical, dental and pension benefits.
She says the shortage of ECEs is being felt at childcare centres across the province.
“ECEs don’t think that it’s a career and a profession that will take them anywhere,” she told reporters.
“There is no pension plan, so they don’t know how they’re going to retire. There are no medical benefits. There were no benefits, and the medical benefits plan that is in now, it’s not top-notch. It’s still lacking. So people aren’t motivated to go into the field, and when they get in, they’re not motivated to stay.”
