Over a year after the universal childcare plan was signed in Nova Scotia, the Houston government still hasn’t actioned one of the deal’s most critical parts — a wage increase for early childhood educators.

“There’s no doubt that early childhood educators play a foundational role in our children’s lives. The universal childcare plan was signed to make life more affordable for families, but also for the staff whose work is invaluable,” says Liberal Leader Zach Churchill. “The Houston government should have made the rollout of this childcare plan a top priority but instead we’re seeing the usual lack of urgency from this government when it comes to critical issues.”

The start of the school year means an increased demand for childcare in the province, but without any information on when ECEs will see more money in their pockets, daycares are hard-pressed to plan for their future.

“Back to school is the busiest time of year for daycares, so there’s no excuse for not having this framework ready for our ECEs,” Churchill says. “The government needs to step up and finally deliver on what they’ve been promising for months.”