2022 EDAC: Economic Developer's Council of Canada - Early Childhood Education & Economic Development Workshop

"Why an ECE is likely to be an EDO’s BFF in 2022 and beyond!"

EDOs thrive in the language of land use, brownfields, business retention, start-ups and talent.  We foster conditions of economic growth through infrastructure investment, and we strive to build communities rich in live, work, play amenities.  So why on earth would we add child care to our lexicon?  Why should we (EDOs) be talking to the other side of City Hall - isn’t child care a social service department responsibility?   Join this session to hear more about why digging in deep to child care as an investment in your community could possibly be the most impactful infrastructure you focus on in 2022 and beyond. 

In this session, we will explore questions such as...Why are we talking about Child Care at an Ec Dev conference?  What is the she-cession and what did we learn about child care during Covid?  How do employers, talent attraction, child care, and ‘hybrid’ return to work models align? What is the broader ‘care economy’ that child care fits into…and what can EDO’s do about it?What is the state of ECE Workforce in Canada?  What happens if we do nothing to support this sector?  What is the impact of ECE on other workforce sectors / employment rates?  What role do EDO’s play?What is CWELCC all about (the Canada Wide Early Learning Child Care Agreement)?  Won’t $10/day child care fix any of the issues for families and local communities?  Why do we need to address the child care workforce capacity to influence the outcome of CWELCC? 

What is happening now in communities across Canada to address ECE and the child care workforce?  What can local Ec Dev Officers do?