The Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care program has significantly reduced fees across most provinces and territories, increasing the affordability of regulated care and boosting demand. As cost barriers have declined, however, access challenges have intensified, as the supply of licensed spaces has not kept pace — leading to growing waitlists across the country. […]
The Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care program has significantly reduced childcare fees across most provinces and territories, stimulating demand for regulated care and drawing families away from informal arrangements. As affordability barriers have declined, however, access to licensed spaces has become the primary constraint. The creation of licensed spaces has fallen behind federal targets, […]
March 19, 2026 – Canada’s $10-a-day childcare plan has lowered parent fees across most of the country, but families are increasingly stuck on waitlists as demand outpaces the supply of licensed spaces, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “From Promise to Practice: A Critical Review of the Federal Childcare Plan,” […]
From: John Richards, Stephen HeynemanTo: Taxation observersDate: March 17, 2026Re: Canada’s “Whole School” Education Contribution has been Surprisingly Effective In August 2024, the “students’ revolt” in Dhaka toppled Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh prime minister since 2008. The student leaders chose Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel peace prize, as interim prime minister. And last month, […]
From: Don DrummondTo: Ontario Economics and Education Policy Watchers Date: March 6, 2026Re: Ontario Stops Deepening its Universities’ Financial Pit In February 2026, the Ontario Government announced it was “investing $6.4 billion to support (the) postsecondary sector’s long-term success and sustainability” to produce “one of the most competitive workforces in the G7” and “world-class research.” […]
Canada’s kids are being outperformed by many of their global peers in math, despite spending more than the OECD average. Dr. Anna Stokke of the University of Winnipeg tells our Michael Hainsworth that there are several factors, from discovery-based learning to lack of standardized testing, but there are solutions.
Canada’s kids are being outperformed by many of their global peers in math, despite spending more than the OECD average. Dr. Anna Stokke of the University of Winnipeg tells our Michael Hainsworth that there are several factors, from discovery-based learning to lack of standardized testing, but there are solutions.
To: Education observers From: Anna Stokke and Malcolm Bird Date: February 23, 2026 Re: Lessons From England’s Education Overhaul Ontario’s recent EQAO results show insufficient progress in reading and mathematics. In 2024-25, 36 percent of Grade 3 students, 49 percent of Grade 6 students and 42 percent of Grade 9 students failed to meet provincial math standards, […]
Recently updated Statistics Canada estimates of interjurisdictional employment show that the share of workers employed in a province who reside elsewhere increased in nearly every province between 2002 and 2022. This suggests that provincial labour markets are more interconnected today than in the early 2000s. The long-run increase may reflect greater labour mobility and the […]
To: Education observers From: Anna StokkeRe: How to Fix Math Education in Canada Strong math skills are essential for careers that drive the Canadian economy, and early success in math has been shown to predict later academic success and financial earnings. Yet for more than a decade Canadian math scores in both the Program […]
To: Ontario economy observers From: Don DrummondRe: The Ontario Labour Market is Faring Poorly Under Trump Tariffs Donald Trump’s tariff onslaught against Canada began with an executive order signed February 1, 2025. While there have been many twists and turns since, the tariffs are largely against manufacturing exports with steel, aluminum and automobiles hit […]
Published in Financial Post. Strong math skills are essential for careers that drive the Canadian economy, and early success in math has been shown to predict later academic success and financial earnings. Yet for over a decade Canadian math scores in both the Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study […]
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The Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care program has significantly reduced fees across most provinces and territories, increasing the affordability of regulated care and boosting demand. As cost barriers have declined, however, access challenges have intensified, as the supply of licensed spaces has not kept pace — leading to growing waitlists across the country. […] 
The Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care program has significantly reduced childcare fees across most provinces and territories, stimulating demand for regulated care and drawing families away from informal arrangements. As affordability barriers have declined, however, access to licensed spaces has become the primary constraint. The creation of licensed spaces has fallen behind federal targets, […] 
From: John Richards, Stephen HeynemanTo: Taxation observersDate: March 17, 2026Re: Canada’s “Whole School” Education Contribution has been Surprisingly Effective In August 2024, the “students’ revolt” in Dhaka toppled Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh prime minister since 2008. The student leaders chose Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel peace prize, as interim prime minister. And last month, […] 
From: Don DrummondTo: Ontario Economics and Education Policy Watchers Date: March 6, 2026Re: Ontario Stops Deepening its Universities’ Financial Pit In February 2026, the Ontario Government announced it was “investing $6.4 billion to support (the) postsecondary sector’s long-term success and sustainability” to produce “one of the most competitive workforces in the G7” and “world-class research.” […] 
Canada’s kids are being outperformed by many of their global peers in math, despite spending more than the OECD average. Dr. Anna Stokke of the University of Winnipeg tells our Michael Hainsworth that there are several factors, from discovery-based learning to lack of standardized testing, but there are solutions. 
To: Education observers From: Anna Stokke and Malcolm Bird Date: February 23, 2026 Re: Lessons From England’s Education Overhaul Ontario’s recent EQAO results show insufficient progress in reading and mathematics. In 2024-25, 36 percent of Grade 3 students, 49 percent of Grade 6 students and 42 percent of Grade 9 students failed to meet provincial math standards, […] 
Recently updated Statistics Canada estimates of interjurisdictional employment show that the share of workers employed in a province who reside elsewhere increased in nearly every province between 2002 and 2022. This suggests that provincial labour markets are more interconnected today than in the early 2000s. The long-run increase may reflect greater labour mobility and the […] 
To: Education observers From: Anna StokkeRe: How to Fix Math Education in Canada Strong math skills are essential for careers that drive the Canadian economy, and early success in math has been shown to predict later academic success and financial earnings. Yet for more than a decade Canadian math scores in both the Program […] 
To: Ontario economy observers From: Don DrummondRe: The Ontario Labour Market is Faring Poorly Under Trump Tariffs Donald Trump’s tariff onslaught against Canada began with an executive order signed February 1, 2025. While there have been many twists and turns since, the tariffs are largely against manufacturing exports with steel, aluminum and automobiles hit […] 
Published in Financial Post. Strong math skills are essential for careers that drive the Canadian economy, and early success in math has been shown to predict later academic success and financial earnings. Yet for over a decade Canadian math scores in both the Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study […]