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Introduction

Child Care Now’s Innovation Project: Growth by Design is exploring, evaluating, and proposing innovative strategies to enhance the sustainability and expansion of public and not-for-profit Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) in Canada. As part of this initiative, seven case studies are being conducted – in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Nunavut. These case studies aim to identify innovative approaches to ELCC expansion while also examining policies and practices that promote equitable access to ELCC services.

This document provides background information and preliminary findings from the Nunavut case study. It offers an overview of the child care landscape in Nunavut, including details on regulated child care spaces and public funding prior to the implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system. Additionally, it outlines Nunavut’s commitments under its CWELCC funding Agreement with the federal government, summarizes the project’s site visits and other activities undertaken in the territory, and highlights key findings to date.

The case study findings will continue to be updated throughout the project, incorporating relevant initiatives, outcomes, and the impacts of Nunavut’s expansion activities.

Activities undertaken for the Nunavut case study

The first activities undertaken for the case study included an environmental scan and web search, a review of child care and demographic information from various editions of the Childcare Resource and Research Unit’s Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada series and Zoom meetings with Nunavut’s Director of Early Learning and Child Care to better understand the context and issues in expanding child care in remote Arctic communities, and for help identifying key organizations and stakeholders. Stakeholders and organizations were contacted to arrange focus groups, key informant interviews and site visits to child care centres.

In September 2024, the project team spent a week in Iqaluit, with a day trip to Pangnirtung, a community of 1,400 an hour’s flight from Iqaluit. As part of the case study visit, a number of consultations with government officials and key stakeholder organizations, key informant interviews, focus groups and child care centre site visits took place. This included:

Consultation with territorial government officials:

• Director of Early Learning and Child Care
• Manager of Early Childhood Development
• Manager of Early Childhood Resources

Focus groups with

• Non-profit child care directors in Iqaluit
• Staff from regional Inuit associations: Kakivak Association, Kivalliq Inuit Association and Kitikmeot Inuit Association

Key informant interviews with the:

• Acting Assistant Director – Health, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
• Executive Director, Nunavut Association of Non Profit Organizations
• Executive Director,  Nunavut Association of Municipalities
• Social Researcher, Qikiqtani Inuit Association
• Staff of the Nunavut Employees Union
• Home child care provider at Butterfly Daycare

Site visits to and discussions with the directors/administrators of:

• Inuusirvik Wellness Hub Daycare, a newly built child care centre, in the Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre
• First Steps Daycare, one of the oldest centres in Iqaluit
• Pairivik Childcare Society, child care and afterschool programs in Nakasuk elementary school
• CPE les Petits Nanooks: a francophone child care centre located in Trois Soleis school
• Attagoyuk Ilisavik Daycare, located in Attagoyuk High School, Pangnirtung
• Mianiqsivik Pairivik, located in the hamlet building in Pangnirtung

About Nunavut

Canada’s newest territory

On April 1, 1999, as a result of the largest land claim agreement¹, Nunavut officially came into being as Canada’s newest territory, with Iqaluit (formerly Frobisher Bay) as its capital.²

The establishment of the Tunngavik Federation of Nunavut in 1982 marked a significant step in representing the interests of Inuit in the eastern Arctic. After decades of negotiation, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement was finalized in 1993. This landmark agreement granted Inuit greater rights over lands and resources, provided a $1.173 billion cash settlement (to be paid in installments over 15 years), and led to the creation of the territory of Nunavut, with an elected government to represent Inuit interests.

Following the enactment of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, the Tunngavik Federation was reorganized into Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI), which is responsible for managing Inuit obligations under the agreement and ensuring that both federal and territorial governments fulfill their commitments. The entire territory of Nunavut is recognized as Indigenous land; there are no reserves within its boundaries.

The Nunavut Trust manages and invests the financial resources established under the agreement. Additionally, it receives a share of royalties from resource production on Crown land paid to the Government of Canada.

The Government of Nunavut (GN) operates as a consensus government, with no political parties. All members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are elected as independents. After a general election, the MLAs select the Premier, Speaker, and Ministers through a secret ballot, though the Premier has the authority to assign or remove ministerial portfolios. The legislature currently consists of 22 seats, with a cabinet of seven members, including the premier.

Largest geographic jurisdiction with the smallest and youngest population

Nunavut has less than one percent of Canada’s total population, but 20% of its total land mass, stretching across three time zones, from the northwestern tip of Labrador across the top of Manitoba and much of the Northwest Territories. It is organized into three regions – Kitikmeot, Kivalliq and Qikiqtani (also known as Qikiqtaaluk).

According to the 2021 Census, Nunavut has a population of 36,858, reflecting a 2.5% increase since 2016—lower than the national growth rate of 5.2%.

Unlike other regions in Canada, Nunavut’s fertility rate remains high, ranging from 2.8 to 3.0. Most mothers are between the ages of 15 and 29. The median age in Nunavut is 25.1 years, significantly younger than the national median of 40.3 years. Nunavut’s population structure contrasts sharply with the rest of Canada, with a large and growing proportion of children under 15, who account for one-third of the territory’s total population.

As of 2023, there were approximately 10,000 children aged 0 to 12 in Nunavut, including 4,800 children aged 0 to 5. Of these, 3,800 children aged 0 to 12 had employed mothers.

In 2021, Iqaluit, the capital city, was home to 7,429 people, representing roughly 20% of Nunavut’s total population. The remaining population resides in 24 remote communities, ranging in population from 144 in Grise Fiord to 2,975 in Rankin Inlet, spread across three regions, none of which are connected by roads. These communities are accessible only by air and, during a brief seasonal window, by water.

Nunavut has by far the largest proportional Indigenous population in Canada, with Inuit representing 85% of the total population. Nunavut has three official languages – Inuktut, which includes Inuinnaqtun, English and French. More than 80% of the Inuit population speaks Inuktitut.

Early Learning and Child Care in Nunavut

The Department of Education in Nunavut oversees early learning and child care, K-12 education, and adult learning. Unlike other jurisdictions in Canada, Nunavut does not have school boards, with the exception of the Commission scolaire francophone du Nunavut (CSFN), which operates a single francophone K-12 school in Iqaluit. Day-to-day school operations are managed by the Government of Nunavut (GN) through three Regional School Operations (RSO) offices, with teachers directly employed by the GN.

District Education Authorities (DEAs)—27 locally elected boards—work closely with RSOs to handle key responsibilities, such as:

• consulting Department of Education staff and the community to develop local community programs that promote Inuit language and culture for each school year, which may include early childhood education programs, student registration and attendance policies, school calendars, and Inuuqatigiitsiarniq (positive school environment)  policies. DEAs also support RSOs in hiring school staff and run early childhood programs that promote Inuit language and culture
• choosing the language of instruction to support bilingual education and models approved by the Minister
• supporting RSOs in hiring school staff

Nunavut is gradually introducing full-day kindergarten, starting with a pilot in five schools during the 2023–2024 school year, and expanded to seven additional schools in 2024-2025, or 48% of all kindergarten classes (full-day kindergarten was available at the francophone K-12 school prior to the pilot).

Child care services fall under the Early Learning and Child Care Division of the Department of Education. This division includes 16 positions at a central office, located in Iqaluit, and three positions that are based out of offices in Pangnirtung, and Rankin Inlet. The division is responsible for regulation, policy, resource and training development and delivery, monitoring, supporting, and funding for early learning and child care.

Most child care centres in Nunavut are operated by non-profit societies or local District Education Authorities, both overseen by elected boards of directors. Some centres are run by hamlets, with staff employed through municipal payrolls and input from parental advisory committees. There are no for-profit child care centres in Nunavut. While for-profit entities are not explicitly prohibited, only non-profit and public centres are eligible for public funding. Non-profit organizations registered in good standing with Nunavut Legal Registries may apply for funding to establish or sustain a licensed child care centre. Family child care homes are licensed individually and classified as non-profit.

Before significant federal funding was provided through the Multilateral Framework Agreement (2017), the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework Agreement (2018), and the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement (2022), Nunavut’s federal funding for child care came primarily from the 1995 First Nations and Inuit Child Care Initiative (FNICCI) and the Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC) program. FNICCI supported the construction and operation of approximately 20 child care centres, provided wage subsidies for eligible staff, and offered parent subsidies to eligible families. Additionally, seven licensed part-day AHSUNC programs continue to receive federal funding.

Figure 1 shows the flow of federal funds for Early learning and Child Care prior to the Indigenous Early learning and Child Care Framework (IELCC) and the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreements.

Figure 1 Funding from the Government of Canada for early learning and child care in Nunavut, 2017

Source: Inuit submission to Employment and Social Development Canada regarding National Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework, October 2017

Commitments under the Canada-wide Agreement

Nunavut signed the Canada-Nunavut Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement in January, 2022. This phase 1 agreement allocated $66.1 million over a five-year period. Nunavut’s Action Plan committed to:

• Increase the number of regulated non-profit and public child care spaces for children 0-6 years by at least 238
• Reduce parent fees for children under the age of six by an average of 50% from 2019 levels and to an average of $10-a-day by April 2026
• Develop a wage grid for early childhood staff
• Increase the percentage of staff who fully meet certification requirements by at least 60% by fiscal 2025-2026
• Develop and implement a quality framework
• Address barriers to provide inclusive and flexible child care

Nunavut has made considerable progress in most of these areas.

Space expansion

Growth in child care spaces

Over the past 15 years, there has been modest growth in licensed centre-based spaces for children aged 0–12, although a decline in spaces was noted between 2012 and 2016. Since the introduction of new federal programs, the number of full-day centre spaces for children aged 0–6 has been gradually but steadily increasing each year. However, this same period has seen a slight decline in both part-day spaces for children aged 0–6 and spaces for school-aged children.

Source: Graph based on data from Early childhood education and care in Canada, 2023.

Nearly all licensed spaces are centre-based, with only 48 licensed family home child care spaces in 2023. However, this is an increase from just 8 spaces in 2012.

Between 2021–2022 and February 2025 a total of 181 new centre-based and family home child care spaces for children aged 0–6 were created, and 38 previously closed spaces were reopened. However, 115 spaces were closed during the same period, resulting in a net increase of 104 spaces.

Table1: Licensed ELCC spaces in Nunavut, 2021-2025

Most of the gains were in spaces for children 0-6 years located in schools and most of the losses were among community-based space, located in facilities other than schools:

• 77 new community-based spaces were created and 73 spaces lost, while 32 reopened
• 74 new spaces in schools created and 30 lost, while 6 spaces reopened
• 30 new family day home spaces were created and 12 lost.

Nunavut’s approach to expansion

The Government of Nunavut has implemented various policies and funding programs to support the expansion of child care services.

Child care in schools and other public buildings

The Department of Education integrates child care centres for children aged 0–6 into new school construction or renovations, offering District Education Authorities (DEAs) the first right of refusal to operate the centres. To date, Nunavut has used territorial capital funds to build child care centres as part of schools.

This year, the GN is exploring the possibility of renovating a daycare within an existing GN building to expand the number of licensed spaces. The Department is also working collaboratively with several Inuit organizations to establish new child care centres.

Increased financial support for child care

Nunavut has an open public call for proposals to access ELCC Infrastructure Funding. District Education Authorities, la Commission scolaire francophone du Nunavut,local government and non-governmental organizations are eligible to apply to the Infrastructure Funding Program, as are non-profit societies and family child care homes.

For 2024-2025, this program has approximately $5.68 million in federal funding available for distribution. There is no set maximum for capital funding per project; funding amounts are determined on a case-by-case basis, with priority given to underserved communities that have limited or no licensed child care options. Infrastructure funding is available to:

• Start the process of creating new licensed child care centres.
• Renovate existing centres to increase available spaces.
• Undertake necessary renovations to allow the reopening of centres that have been closed for at least three years.
• Support projects that are already in progress.

To assist community groups, a user-friendly, step-by-step ELCC Flow Chart is available. This chart provides clear guidance on how to submit a proposal for the Infrastructure Funding Program and highlights the available supports.

Once successful applications have a signed contribution agreement with the Department of Education, payment of 90% of the agreement is issued within 20 days.

While expansion to date has been modest, total spending more than doubled between 2021 and 2023. Funding to reduce parent fees, increase compensation for child care staff, build and start up new child care centres and supporting Inuit culture and programming in child care centres is available. In 2024-2025, 84% of funding for licensed child care came from the Government of Canada and 16% from the Government of Nunavut.

Source: Graph based on data from Early childhood education and care in Canada, 2023.

Workforce Initiatives to support expansion

Increased compensation

In 2023 Nunavut introduced a wage scale applicable to all those working in licensed child care serving children ages 0-6, including:

• Management (e.g., ECE Director, Supervisor, Manager)
• Early Childhood Educator
• Program Support (e.g., Language Programming staff, Special Needs Support staff)
• Centre Support (e.g., Custodian, Cook).

As of April 2024, hourly wages for front-line child care staff range from $27.45 at Step 1 for those without Early Childhood Education (ECE) qualifications to $35.73 at Step 6 for staff with an ECE diploma or degree. Additionally, the Government of Nunavut (GN) has integrated the  Northern Allowance  into the wage scale.

Northern Allowance rates vary by community and depend on whether full-time hours are 37.5 or 40 per week, ranging from $7.70 to $14.63 per hour. This allowance is designed to account for the higher cost of living in Nunavut communities compared to larger southern centres. It also helps ensure equitable compensation for licensed child care centre staff across the territory, despite differing economic conditions in various communities.

The Northern Allowance is applied as an additional hourly rate and is paid for all standard working hours, including paid vacation and sick leave.

Family child care providers may also qualify for funding under the wage scale. While these providers set their own daily fees (ranging from $66.50 to $72.50 per day), parents pay only $10 per day, with the GN covering the remainder.

To determine their hourly wage, the Department of Education reviews each provider’s annual financial statements, calculating wages by subtracting expenses from revenue and dividing the result by a 9.5-hour working day over 261 operating days. Providers are then placed on the wage scale to assess whether they are eligible for a wage subsidy. If their calculated compensation exceeds the wage scale, they qualify only for the Northern Allowance.

Supports for child care expansion through the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework

In addition to expansion funding provided by the GN through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) initiative, further support is available through the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) Framework.

The IELCC Framework, co-developed by the Government of Canada and Indigenous organizations, reflects the distinct cultures, aspirations, and needs of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children across Canada.

Priorities for Inuit Early Learning and Child Care identified in the IELCC are to:

• Enable greater Inuit self-determination
• Introduce policies and practices so that educators, child care managers, Elders, program providers and staff working in ELCC are valued, compensated and recognized for the integral role they play in supporting positive early childhood development
• Increase access to Inuit-specific ELCC programming to include all communities in Inuit Nunangat, especially those that currently have no licensed child care centres or Aboriginal Head Start programs, as well as Inuit who are living in urban centres across Canada
• Develop Inuit-specific early childhood development curriculum materials and teaching tools that are grounded in Inuit knowledge and approaches to childrearing, nurturing and learning
• Develop strategies and partnerships to build human resource capacity and training in early childhood education for educators, managers, directors, and other staff involved in Inuit ELCC that are accessible (both financially and geographically) and grounded in Inuit knowledge
• Build new and renovate existing buildings and playgrounds where needed, as determined by communities. Improve infrastructure and facilities construction, upgrades and renovations, taking into account that the northern reality requires more time and increased costs
• Work towards self-determination of licensing and regulation
• Introduce policies and practices that support educators, managers, Elders and other staff working in ELCC for their integral role in supporting positive child development
• Build new and renovate existing buildings and playgrounds where needed through long term planning
• Fund the creation and operation of Inuit-centred ELCC programs and family resource centres in urban areas
• Establish monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks designed to ensure that programs are consistent with the original goals and objectives identified by communities of learning, reflection and growth

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the national organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights and interests of Inuit in Canada, receives the Inuit portion of the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) funding from the Government of Canada. ITK allocates these funds to Inuit organizations across the country, with just over 50% directed to Nunavut through Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI).

NTI oversees the implementation of the Inuit Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IIELCC) program in collaboration with RIAs and key stakeholders, including the Government of Nunavut’s ELCC division, NAC, and regional economic development organizations, as appropriate. NTI also chairs the Inunnguinirmut Tukimuattittijiit, a working group that coordinates and aligns IIELCC activities in Nunavut.

In May 2024, NTI’s Board of Directors approved $1.38 million for the Inunnguinirmut Tukimuattittijiit to explore options for transforming Inuit-led and Inuit-delivered early childhood services. Additionally, NTI has allocated $15M to Qikiqtani Inuit Association to construct three daycares in the Qikiqtani region.

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) employs an Early Childhood Wellness Policy Advisor within its Department of Social and Cultural Development. In its role as chair and facilitator of the Inunnguinirmut Tukimuattittijiit, NTI is responsible for setting meeting agendas, establishing the schedule, and overseeing reporting.

The three RIAs – the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, the Kivalliq Inuit Association, and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (along with Kakivak Association, the Qikiqtani Economic Development Organization)—are responsible for determining their own investments in child care within their respective regions and allocating funds to support local child care programs. To date, each RIA has implemented distinct initiatives tailored to the specific needs of its region.

For example, Kakivak Association provides direct support to select child care programs in a number of ways. It provides:

• Operating and maintenance grants to centres where at least 50% of Boards of Directors are Nunavut Inuit
• Additional wage supplements for staff who are Nunavut Inuit of approximately $7/hour on top of the GN wage scale and Northern Allowance
• Application-based major and minor capital for construction, start up and program supplies for new centres where at least 50% of Boards of Directors are Nunavut Inuit

The Department of Education continues to collaborate with the RIAs and NTI to align investments from both the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) Agreement and the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) Framework, ensuring no duplication of funding. Recently, the department introduced a new reporting system for child care centres, reducing overlap with similar reporting required by Kakivak Association. Centres still have to provide separate reporting for parental fee subsidy and for wage scale.

Challenges to expansion in remote communities

Challenges to expansion in Nunavut include access to communities and transportation of materials, building costs, the housing crisis, aging infrastructure, and securing operators for new centres.

Construction challenges

Expanding child care in remote communities with no road access presents significant challenges. Materials must either be flown in or, for larger infrastructure projects, transported by sealift—a fleet of cargo ships that operates during the brief period when sea routes are navigable. Each community typically receives at least one sealift delivery per year, with some receiving two or three. Supplies must be ordered months in advance, making the planning, development, and construction of child care centres far more time-consuming than in southern communities.

Additionally, construction in Nunavut must contend with permafrost conditions, which are further complicated by climate change. Thawing permafrost can destabilize foundations, so most structures are built on stilts to mitigate potential damage. According to a 2016 report, construction costs in Nunavut are, on average, three times higher than in the Greater Toronto Area.³

The challenges of building on permafrost are evident in design and construction. Similarly, the creation of playgrounds in Nunavut presents unique obstacles. North of the tree line, where vegetation is sparse or non-existent, the concept of outdoor “natural” play spaces must be reimagined, challenging traditional “southern” perspectives on playground design.

Photo: CPE Les Petits Nanooks is a newly constructed, purpose-built francophone child care centre located within École des Trois-Soleils in Iqaluit.

The Nunavut housing crisis

Nunavut is grappling with a critical housing shortage, characterized by severe overcrowding and exorbitant rental prices. The private real estate market is largely dominated by a few companies, and the absence of rent controls has made Iqaluit’s rents among the highest in Canada. The situation is exacerbated by federal and territorial governments reserving a significant portion of the limited housing stock for their employees, leaving few options for non-government workers. This housing crisis has ripple effects, including under-enrolment in many child care centres, as they struggle to recruit qualified staff due to the lack of available housing, with prospective employees gravitating towards employment opportunities that include staff housing.

Aging infrastructure

Some older child care centres in Nunavut require replacement or relocation, further increasing pressure on the need for new infrastructure. Most communities depend on trucked water and sewage services, which adds complexity to facility upgrades. Only three communities have piped services, and even in Iqaluit, piped infrastructure is limited to certain neighbourhoods.

Replacement projects are moving forward as suitable locations and funding become available. For example, one of the two centres in Pangnirtung visited during the case study, housed in a hamlet building was in need of major repairs. The hamlet and the Anglican Diocese of the Arctic have partnered to redevelop six long-abandoned church buildings. Proposed plans include a new child care centre, a multi-purpose facility, and possibly a new hamlet complex.

Centre management

The Coalition of Nunavut District Education Authorities noted that a barrier to expanding child care spaces is the temporary closure of some centres due to challenges in finding or retaining boards of directors. In some cases, hamlets and District Education Authorities have stepped in to manage these centres. However, others have had to close temporarily until a new board or operator could be established.

Different views on who should manage child care centres

During the case study visit, differing opinions emerged about who should manage child care to support successful expansion. Currently, all child care centres operate independently, each with its own Board of Directors, and there are few multi-site operators. When an existing operator was recently invited to establish a new centre, the decision was made to create a separate non-profit corporation rather than have the new centre operate under the same board.

Some centre directors and organizations suggested that the Government of Nunavut should assume responsibility for operating centres, similar to its oversight of schools. Others strongly believed that Inuit organizations or parent-led boards should remain the primary operators to maintain local autonomy and cultural alignment.

Beyond expansion: addressing other commitments under the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement

Parent fee reduction

In 2019, Iqaluit had the highest median preschool-aged child care fees in Canada.

On December 1, 2022, Nunavut became the first jurisdiction to reduce fees under CWELCC to $10-a-day for children aged six and under⁴. Child care centres and homes set their fees based on operational costs. Parents pay $10-a-day and the GN covers the remaining expenses.  Most centres signed on to the $10-a-day program agreed to limit any parental fee increases to the annual rate of inflation, with the GN operational subsidy absorbing the cost increase and parents continuing to pay $10-a-day.

Families who meet financial eligibility criteria may apply for additional fee reductions. The move to $10-a-day set fees resulted in an 82% decrease in fees, giving families in Iqaluit the largest reduction in any city in Canada.⁵

Quality framework

In June 2023, Nunavut released its Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Quality Framework, and its accompanying Action Plan in October, 2024. The framework aims to establish a vision for ELCC delivery in the territory that is deeply rooted in the Inuit worldview, societal values, and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit—a foundational set of knowledge, values, and beliefs central to Inuit culture in Nunavut, which is integrated across government policies and programs:

• Inuuqatigiitsiarniq: respecting others, relationships and caring for people
• Tunnganarniq: fostering good spirit by being open, welcoming and inclusive
• Pijitsirniq: serving and providing for family and/or community
• Aajiiqatigiinniq: decision making through discussion and consensus
• Pilimmaksarniq: developing skills through observation, mentoring, practice, and effort
• Piliriqatigiinniq: working together for a common cause
• Qanuqtuurniq: being innovative and resourceful
• Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq: respect and care for the land, animals and the environment.

In developing the framework, the Department of Education consulted with Inuit organizations to ensure that it reflects their vision of childhood in the territory’s diverse regions. The framework is also informed by the Inuit section of the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework (IELCC).

There are four dimensions of the framework:

• The child
• The family/home
• The community
• The learning environment

Additionally the framework has four guiding principles:

• Children are curious, capable, and competent.
• Children have social, emotional, physical, spiritual, and intellectual dimensions.
• Children want to belong and contribute to their families and communities.
• Children need to play, experiment, and practise.

The vision of the framework and its principles are intended to provide direction for future planning and growth, including the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs and services.

Addressing barriers to provide inclusive and flexible child care

Nunavut’s Early Learning and Child Care Strategic Action Plan for Inclusion and Equity 2023-2026  provides guidance on fostering inclusion and equity within the ELCC sector. The plan emphasizes enhanced support for children with additional needs, Indigenous children—particularly Inuit, Black and other racialized children, official language minority children, and children in foster care. Its goal is to ensure that all vulnerable children and those from diverse backgrounds have equitable access to appropriate licensed child care spaces.

Under Article 32 of the Nunavut Agreement, the GN is obligated to provide Inuit with an opportunity to participate in the development of social and cultural policies, including early learning and child care. Representatives from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., and RIAs were invited to engage through group meetings, and one-on-one conversations in the development of the strategic plan.

In addition, consultations were held with the Association des francophones du Nunavut, the Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society, and the Nunavut Black History Society to address specific needs within the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) sector. The Department of Family Services was also engaged to focus on the unique early learning and child care requirements of children in foster care.

The Strategic Action Plan reflects the Inuit vision outlined in the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework, emphasizing an Inuit-centred approach to inclusion and equity. At its core lies the Inuit value of Inunnguiniq, meaning “the making of a human being,” which serves as the guiding principle for fostering inclusion and promoting equity in the ELCC system.

The plan includes six integrated focus areas, within three broad categories of action:

• Improve the early learning and child care physical environment
• Increase materials, equipment, supports, and program planning
• Improve early learning and child care buildings and transportation
• Support early learning and child care providers
• Increase learning and training for early learning and child care providers
• Improve employment conditions
• Redesign early learning and child care systems
• Change early learning and child care related policies
• Transform the early learning and child care system

Building capacity

Increasing qualifications of staff

Currently, there are no formal Early Childhood Education (ECE) qualification requirements or certification processes for working in child care in Nunavut. Approximately 20% of child care staff have ECE training. While some ECE courses have been offered at NAC, they were typically provided in modular format rather than as a comprehensive program.

During focus groups and interviews, several staff members reported that these modules were offered inconsistently, making it difficult to piece together the necessary components to earn a certificate or diploma.

Arctic College’s website lists a 31-credit Applied ECE Certificate program with detailed course outlines; however, the program is not currently running, and no start date has been announced. The website also notes that course outlines for an ECE Diploma program are “coming soon.”

The Child Care Division indicated that NAC delivered an applied ECE certificate program at two Community Learning Centres in local communities (Arviat and Igloolik) in partnership with the licensed child care centres. Centre staff attended courses for half the day and work for the other half of the day to earn their ECE certificate. Centres employed relief staff who were also able to work and attend the courses.  This model may be replicated in additional communities, which may provide more accessible training opportunities in the future. In the fall of 2024, the College offered the ECE certificate program at its Iqaluit campus with students attending full-time.

Individuals can enrol in distance ECE programs offered by post-secondary institutions outside the territory. To support child care staff in licensed centres, the GN offers Early Childhood Educator Certification Funding which helps cover the cost of tuition and textbooks for those pursuing ECE certification programs.

Early efforts to create a child care association

Preliminary efforts are underway to establish an early childhood association aimed at supporting, advocating for, and building the capacity of non-profit child care organizations. Currently, Nunavut does not have a professional association or advocacy body dedicated to child care.

Beginning in 2007, there were calls to develop an organization that would support and advocate for the non-profit sector. In 2021, the Nunavut Association of Non-Profit Organizations (NANPO) was formed to to:

• Advance the interests and impact of non-profits across the territory
• Increase communications between them, and
• Address issues that collectively affect them.

Child care centres make up 50% of all non-profit organizations in Nunavut. However, at the time of the case study visit, only one was a member of NANPO. Several child care directors expressed the need for an organization to represent their collective interests. In response, NANPO, with funding from the ELCC division, has initiated discussions with the Canadian Child Care Federation, and begun community consultations, to explore the possibilities and opportunities for establishing a child care-specific association in Nunavut.

Updating Early Learning and Child Care Legislation

The Government of Nunavut is committed to transforming the child care system and is in the process of developing new child care legislation. The current Child Day Care Act, inherited from the Northwest Territories, has remained unchanged since 1988.

In spring 2024, the Department of Education conducted in-person engagement sessions with child care operators and community members in 14 communities across the territory. These sessions included PowerPoint presentations outlining proposed legislative changes in four key areas.

• Inuit-centres early learning and child care programs and services
  • Foundational principles to guide ELCC programs and services
  • Duty for Minister of Education to promote early childhood Inuit language learning
• Accessible, affordable, inclusive and quality early learning and child care
  • New standards to guide learning in child care programs
  • The establishment of an early learning and child care council
  • Streamlined licensing process for child care centres
  • Standards for funding support to centres
  • Permit children over the age of 12 to attend after school child care programs
• Accountability
  • Broad powers to conduct investigations of centres suspected of operating unlicensed centres
  • Operators collecting information related to administration
  • Sharing anonymous data with funding organizations
• Safety and well-being of children
  • Criminal record and vulnerable sector checks
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Testing
  • Minimum standards for recreational day camps
  • Authority to exempt centres from specific requirements in the Act

Participants in the meetings were invited to provide feedback on each of the proposed changes. In addition to the in-person sessions, the Department distributed an online survey, which gathered responses from 205 individuals. A summary of the proposed changes, community feedback, and updated legislative recommendations is provided in Appendix 1. The full consultation report and updated information on the progress of the new legislation as it becomes available can be found at Nunavut’s Proposed Early Learning and Child Care Act.   

Continued progress

Despite the many challenges in expanding child care in small, remote communities Nunavut has made considerable progress in supporting child care expansion, quality and stability. These efforts aim to increase the number of high-quality child care spaces that honour Inuit self-determination and priorities, while also supporting the child care workforce through increased compensation and access to post-secondary Early Childhood Education.

Progress in expansion

Child care centres are expanding or being created in multiple communities, including Arctic Bay, Baker Lake, Coral Harbour, Grise Fiord, Iqaluit, Sanikiluaq, Sanirajak, and Taloyoak.

The development of some new purpose-built facilities, include the Inuusirvik Wellness Hub Daycare built into the new Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre, serving infants, toddlers and preschool age children.

Photo: The Qaujigiartiit Health Research Centre, home to Inuusirvik Wellness Hub Daycare, Iqaluit

Tumikuluit Saipaaqivik, Iqaluit’s only Inuktitut-immersion child care centre, was previously housed in an old, repurposed house that the landlord had long planned to demolish and rebuild. In February 2025, the centre relocated to a new, purpose-built facility, developed in partnership with YWCA Agvik Nunavut, expanding its capacity from 20 to 36 spaces.

YWCA Agvik acquired a mixed-use building with capital funding from the National Indigenous Collaborative Housing Incorporated. The upper level includes apartments for Inuit women and their families, while the ground floor was specifically designed for the child care centre, with funding from the Canada-Nunavut Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, through Nunavut’s ELCCInfrastructure Funding Program. 

Potential opportunities for expansion

Although there are no concrete initiatives currently in place, there are further potential opportunities to integrate child care into new housing developments.

 In 2022, the GN and the Nunavut Housing Corporation launched the Nunavut 3000 plan, aiming to build 3,000 new housing units, including transitional beds, public housing, affordable housing, and market housing. While child care centres were not explicitly included in the plan, there is precedent for incorporating such services into housing projects. For example, the Department of Education funded the child care component of a mixed-use building, which features child care services on the main floor and apartments above. However, no similar initiatives have been confirmed as part of the Nunavut 3000 plan.

The Nunavut Housing Corporation recently announced a plan to deliver 22 modular housing units across 11 communities. Initially, two-thirds of these units will house construction workers involved in building public housing. After the construction projects are completed, the Housing Corporation will consult with communities to determine the future use of the modular units, which can be remodeled as needed. This presents a potential opportunity to repurpose some units for child care services.

Additionally, a modular home factory currently under construction in Arviat could open new possibilities. Once operational, it may provide an opportunity to develop modular facilities specifically designed to support child care services, addressing a critical gap in community infrastructure.

Supporting quality and stability

A number of recent initiatives are aimed at enhancing stability, supporting and promoting Inuit social values and building a quality system of early learning and child care. 

• Significant operational funding provided is provided to individual child care centres by both the Government of Nunavut and Regional Inuit Associations.
• Staff have seen substantial increases in compensation, including additional support for program staff who are land claim beneficiaries.
• Wage scale annual adjustments are linked to the annual Consumer Price Index.
• Plans to expand access to ECE training and related funding support will increase the number of staff with ECE qualifications.
• Increased availability of educational resources are promoting Inuktut and Inuit societal values within centres.
• Access to the Inuit Child First Initiative, enables centres to provide healthy food for children.⁶
• Recent integration and streamlining of centre reporting to both the Department of Education  and Kakivak Associations has increased accountability and reduced the administrative burden on centres.
• New child care legislation will be part of a broader system transformation.

Appendix 1 Summary of engagement findings and updated proposed legislative changes for revised Early Learning and Child Care legislation⁷

Endnotes

1. The Nunavut Agreement. Retrieved from https://nlca.tunngavik.com/ ↩︎
2. Prior to that time Nunavut was part of the Northwest Territories. ↩︎
3. Nunavut Housing Corporation’s Appearance before the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples – March 23, 2016 ↩︎
4. Parent fees in Quebec and Yukon were at an average of $10-a-day or less prior to the implementation of CWELCC ↩︎
5. MacDonald and Friendly (2023) Measuring Matters: Assessing Canada’s progress toward $10-a-day child care for all ↩︎
6. The funding program was initially scheduled to end on March 31, 2025, however, the Minister of Indigenous Services confirmed that the Government of Canada has renewed the Inuit Child First Initiative funding until March 31, 2026, to support ongoing service delivery while Canada and Inuit partners move forward on the co-development of a long-term approach for Inuit children. ↩︎
7. Government of Nunavut (2024) Child Day Care Act Consultation Report , pp30-34. Accessed at: https://www.gov.nu.ca/sites/default/files/documents/2024-11/CDCA_Report_ENG.pdf ↩︎

Acknowledgements

The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Employment and Social Development Canada.

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