The Nova Scotia Government released the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Wage Scale on October 11th, 2022, that promised: “it will help support licensed centers to offer more care, stabilize and grow the Early Childhood Education workforce and the childcare sector.”

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) started working on the wage scale in 2021 and told us that to be patient that they wanted to “get it right.” They released a document, Transforming Nova Scotia’s Early Child Care System – January 2022- and we were encouraged that government listened to the sector and would implement a wage scale based on professional recognition. The announcement of the new ECE Wage Scale to enhance Early Childhood Educators wages is of great concern and to secure your support, it’s important to mention a couple crucial points.

The Nova Scotia Government has not honoured the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement – 2021 to 2026 under Compensation of early childhood educators that states: “The Consultant will develop compensation standards for entry and ongoing wages and benefits for professional responsibilities including a wage grid/pay scale for all levels, using a living wage/self-sufficiency standard as a minimum. The new compensation framework will go into effect by the end of 2022.” – Nova Scotia action plan 2021 to 2023.

The new ECE Wage Scale does not address recruitment and retention of a highly educated, professional sector, that is required to deliver quality early learning and care programs as it does not start at a living wage/self sufficiency standard.  A living wage in HRM is $23.50 per hour.

Nova Scotia 2022 ECE Wage Scale:  Step 1:  

University Graduate- Level 3: $21.67 per hour

College Diploma- Level 2:  $20.81 per hour

This wage scale will continue to destabilize the ECE system which most families consider an essential service for the rest of Nova Scotia’s workforce.

We are demanding that the Nova Scotia Government honour the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement and revise the ECE Wage Scale to a “wage grid/pay scale for all levels, using a living wage/self-sufficiency standard as a minimum.” and release the benefit package that was promised by the end of 2022.