Blog Post<\/span><\/h3><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>This blog was authored by Simon Marmura Brown, Strategic Director of Research and Knowledge Mobilisation, Pond-Deshpande Centre<\/em><\/p>\nThe Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\nHow early childhood educators drive economic growth and community wellbeing.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\nAcross Atlantic Canada, early childhood educators (ECEs) shape far more than our classrooms and our children, they shape the conditions for a thriving, resilient, and inclusive economy. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>Every day, ECEs make it possible for parents to work, for businesses to function, and for communities to grow. Their impact is so deeply embedded in daily life that it can sometimes be easy to overlook, however, when examine their impacts one truth becomes unmistakable: for a more prosperous, inclusive, and equitable Atlantic Canada, ECEs are foundational. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>At the Pond-Deshpande Centre (PDC), our commitment to equity, decent work, and economic growth means prosperity that is <\/span>widely shared, community-rooted, and grounded in wellbeing<\/span>.<\/span><\/b> Early childhood education (ECE) isn\u2019t adjacent to this vision; it is at its core. High-quality, accessible early childhood education allows parents to participate fully in the workforce, enables employers to operate with stability, and supports the long-term development of the next generation of community members, innovators, and leaders.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>ECE as Economic Infrastructure<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>For decades, researchers have conducted rigorous <\/span>analyses and studies<\/span> to understand the impact of ECE on society. <\/span>Much of the Canadian research focuses on the economic benefits of affordable childcare, which, while <\/span>not the same as<\/span> childhood education, <\/span>is still helpful to understand the economic implications of dedicated professionals engaging with children<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\nResearch from Quebec\u2019s universal low-fee childcare program<\/span> shows that <\/span><\/span>when childcare becomes affordable and reliable, mothers\u2019 labour force participation rises <\/span><\/span>dramatically<\/i><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span> Economists Pierre Fortin, Luc Godbout, and Suzie St-Cerny estimate that the policy brought more than <\/span><\/span>70,000 additional mothers<\/span><\/span> into the workforce and raised Quebec\u2019s <\/span>GDP by<\/span> <\/span>1.7%<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\nCritically, they conclude that the program <\/span><\/span>paid for itself<\/span><\/span> <\/span>through increased tax revenue generated by higher <\/span>employment<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>1<\/sup><\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/13-scaled.jpg\" "\\"13\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Similar work by <\/span>Pierre Lefebvre<\/span> <\/span>and Philip Merrigan<\/span> shows that universal childcare produces a <\/span><\/span>substantial and sustained increase in maternal labour supply<\/span><\/span>, reinforcing the finding that reliable childcare is a powerful tool for governments to boost employment and economic <\/span>productivity.<\/span><\/span>2<\/sup><\/sup><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\nNewer studies continue to underscore <\/span>the importance of accessible access to childcare<\/span>. Recent economic research on expanded pre-K access in the United States finds that <\/span><\/span>access to reliable, extended-day preschool can increase parents\u2019 annual earnings by over 20%<\/span>,<\/span><\/span> nearly offsetting the public cost of the <\/span>program.<\/span><\/span>3<\/sup><\/sup><\/span><\/span> The message is clear: when families can depend on childcare, economies grow.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>High-Quality ECE Drives Long-Term Prosperity<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/11-1-scaled.jpg\" "\\"11\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>ECE supports today\u2019s workforce, but its economic impact reaches far into the future. Decades of peer-reviewed research show that high-quality early learning programs improve children\u2019s educational outcomes, increase lifetime earnings, and reduce social costs.<\/span><\/p>\nNobel laureate James Heckman and his colleagues have demonstrated that high-quality preschool can generate a <\/span>7\u201310% annual return on investment<\/span><\/b>,<\/span> making it a very effective economic development strategy.<\/span>4<\/sup><\/sup><\/span> Other reviews demonstrate that well-designed and implemented ECE programs improve the lives of children and their families <\/span>et return two to four dollars to society for every dollar invested<\/span>.<\/span><\/b>5<\/sup><\/sup><\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>These returns come from better school readiness, higher graduation rates, improved health, and increased long-term earnings\u2014outcomes that echo across communities and generations.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>ECEs Strengthen Communities From the Inside Out<\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/span>None of these economic benefits happen without early childhood educators, the people who spend every day nurturing children\u2019s social, emotional, and cognitive development. ECEs build trust with families, create stability for communities, and support the wellbeing of children during their most formative years.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>Through the Atlantic Canada Early Childhood Education Lab, educators and directors told us repeatedly: when ECEs are supported, everything gets better: staff retention, child outcomes, family wellbeing, and centre stability. Strong, well-supported ECEs are the frontline workforce that makes inclusive prosperity possible.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>PDC\u2019s Commitment to Inclusive Prosperity<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>At PDC, part of our work focuses on building and supporting growth and opportunity that is shared, sustainable, and community-driven. Childcare is an essential pillar of that vision<\/span>. The prosperity of Atlantic Canada depends thriving families, and children who have the strongest possible start in life<\/span>. <\/span><\/b>None of these are achievable without a strong early childhood education system, and without ECEs whose work is valued, compensated, and supported.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>For our region to grow sustainably, equitably, and rapidly continued investment in ECE should be a core strategy. We must also recognize ECEs for what they are: core economic actors. They are not only educators\u2014they are enablers of workforce participation, builders of long-term human capital, and catalysts of inclusive growth.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>A Call to Action<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>If we want an economy that is vibrant, equitable, and future-focused, we must invest in the people who make participation possible. Early childhood educators are essential contributors to the prosperity of Atlantic Canada, today and for decades to come.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>PDC remains committed to advancing solutions that strengthen the childcare sector, honour the expertise of educators, and create the conditions where inclusive prosperity can take root and grow.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>In the end, prosperity begins in the places where children learn, grow, and feel cared for. And it begins with the people who make that possible\u2014our early childhood educators.<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\nWorks Cited<\/b><\/p>\n
\n
1 Fortin, Pierre; Luc Godbout; and Suzie St-Cerny. \u201cImpact of Quebec\u2019s Universal Low-Fee Childcare Program on Female Labour Force Participation, Domestic Income, and Government Budgets.\u201d Report, Universit\u00e9 de Sherbrooke, (2012).<\/span><\/p>\n2 Lefebvre, Pierre, and Philip Merrigan. \u201cChild\u2010Care Policy and the Labor Supply of Mothers with Young Children: A Natural Experiment from Canada.\u201d Journal of Labor Economics 26, no. 3 (2008): 519\u201348. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1086\/587760.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n3 Humphries, John Eric, Christopher Neilson, Xiaoyang Ye, and Seth D. Zimmerman, “Parents’ Earnings and the Returns to Universal Pre-Kindergarten,” NBER Working Paper 33038 (2024), https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3386\/w33038.<\/p>\n
4 Heckman JJ, Moon SH, Pinto R, Savelyev PA, Yavitz A. \u201cThe Rate of Return to the High\/Scope Perry Preschool Program.\u201d Journal of Public Economy. (2010). 94(1-2):114-128. doi: 10.1016\/. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
5 Karoly, Lynn A. \u201cThe Economic Returns to Early Childhood Education.\u201d The Future of Children 26(2):37-56 (2016). DOI:10.1353\/foc.2016.0011; Cannon JS, Kilburn MR, Karoly LA, Mattox T, Muchow AN, Buenaventura M. \u201cInvesting Early: Taking Stock of Outcomes and Economic Returns from Early Childhood Programs.\u201d Rand Health Q. (2018) 30;7(4):6.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>Follow Along<\/h3><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>To learn more about the Atlantic Canada ECE Lab and explore the prototypes developed, visit our website: https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/ecelab\/<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":2603,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7862","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy - The Pond-Deshpande Centre<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Join us for a 5-part series on recent social enterprise research in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/blog\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy - The Pond-Deshpande Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Join us for a 5-part series on recent social enterprise research in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/blog\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Pond-Deshpande Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PondDeshpandeCentre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-09T13:21:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@PondDeshpande\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/blog\\\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/blog\\\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy - The Pond-Deshpande Centre\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-09T00:23:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-09T13:21:51+00:00\",\"description\":\"Join us for a 5-part series on recent social enterprise research in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/blog\\\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/blog\\\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/blog\\\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"The Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Pond-Deshpande Centre\",\"description\":\"At the University of NB\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Pond-Deshpande Centre\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/pdclogo2x.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/pdclogo2x.png\",\"width\":1064,\"height\":292,\"caption\":\"Pond-Deshpande Centre\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ponddeshpande.ca\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/PondDeshpandeCentre\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/PondDeshpande\",\"https:\\\/\\\/ca.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/pond-deshpande-centre-476170a2\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy - The Pond-Deshpande Centre","description":"Join us for a 5-part series on recent social enterprise research in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/blog\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\/","og_locale":"fr_FR","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy - The Pond-Deshpande Centre","og_description":"Join us for a 5-part series on recent social enterprise research in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada","og_url":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/blog\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\/","og_site_name":"The Pond-Deshpande Centre","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PondDeshpandeCentre","article_modified_time":"2025-12-09T13:21:51+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@PondDeshpande","twitter_misc":{"Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/blog\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\/","url":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/blog\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\/","name":"The Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy - The Pond-Deshpande Centre","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-12-09T00:23:39+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-09T13:21:51+00:00","description":"Join us for a 5-part series on recent social enterprise research in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/blog\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"fr-FR","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/blog\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/blog\/the-workforce-behind-the-workforce-how-eces-power-the-economy\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"The Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/","name":"The Pond-Deshpande Centre","description":"At the University of NB","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"fr-FR"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/#organization","name":"Pond-Deshpande Centre","url":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"fr-FR","@id":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/pdclogo2x.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/pdclogo2x.png","width":1064,"height":292,"caption":"Pond-Deshpande Centre"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PondDeshpandeCentre","https:\/\/x.com\/PondDeshpande","https:\/\/ca.linkedin.com\/in\/pond-deshpande-centre-476170a2"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7862"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7862\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7902,"href":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7862\/revisions\/7902"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
This blog was authored by Simon Marmura Brown, Strategic Director of Research and Knowledge Mobilisation, Pond-Deshpande Centre<\/em><\/p>\n How early childhood educators drive economic growth and community wellbeing.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Across Atlantic Canada, early childhood educators (ECEs) shape far more than our classrooms and our children, they shape the conditions for a thriving, resilient, and inclusive economy. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>Every day, ECEs make it possible for parents to work, for businesses to function, and for communities to grow. Their impact is so deeply embedded in daily life that it can sometimes be easy to overlook, however, when examine their impacts one truth becomes unmistakable: for a more prosperous, inclusive, and equitable Atlantic Canada, ECEs are foundational. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>At the Pond-Deshpande Centre (PDC), our commitment to equity, decent work, and economic growth means prosperity that is <\/span>widely shared, community-rooted, and grounded in wellbeing<\/span>.<\/span><\/b> Early childhood education (ECE) isn\u2019t adjacent to this vision; it is at its core. High-quality, accessible early childhood education allows parents to participate fully in the workforce, enables employers to operate with stability, and supports the long-term development of the next generation of community members, innovators, and leaders.<\/span><\/p>\n ECE as Economic Infrastructure<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> For decades, researchers have conducted rigorous <\/span>analyses and studies<\/span> to understand the impact of ECE on society. <\/span>Much of the Canadian research focuses on the economic benefits of affordable childcare, which, while <\/span>not the same as<\/span> childhood education, <\/span>is still helpful to understand the economic implications of dedicated professionals engaging with children<\/span>.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Research from Quebec\u2019s universal low-fee childcare program<\/span> shows that <\/span><\/span>when childcare becomes affordable and reliable, mothers\u2019 labour force participation rises <\/span><\/span>dramatically<\/i><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span> Economists Pierre Fortin, Luc Godbout, and Suzie St-Cerny estimate that the policy brought more than <\/span><\/span>70,000 additional mothers<\/span><\/span> into the workforce and raised Quebec\u2019s <\/span>GDP by<\/span> <\/span>1.7%<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Critically, they conclude that the program <\/span><\/span>paid for itself<\/span><\/span> <\/span>through increased tax revenue generated by higher <\/span>employment<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>1<\/sup><\/sup><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Similar work by <\/span>Pierre Lefebvre<\/span> <\/span>and Philip Merrigan<\/span> shows that universal childcare produces a <\/span><\/span>substantial and sustained increase in maternal labour supply<\/span><\/span>, reinforcing the finding that reliable childcare is a powerful tool for governments to boost employment and economic <\/span>productivity.<\/span><\/span>2<\/sup><\/sup><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Newer studies continue to underscore <\/span>the importance of accessible access to childcare<\/span>. Recent economic research on expanded pre-K access in the United States finds that <\/span><\/span>access to reliable, extended-day preschool can increase parents\u2019 annual earnings by over 20%<\/span>,<\/span><\/span> nearly offsetting the public cost of the <\/span>program.<\/span><\/span>3<\/sup><\/sup><\/span><\/span> The message is clear: when families can depend on childcare, economies grow.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> High-Quality ECE Drives Long-Term Prosperity<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> ECE supports today\u2019s workforce, but its economic impact reaches far into the future. Decades of peer-reviewed research show that high-quality early learning programs improve children\u2019s educational outcomes, increase lifetime earnings, and reduce social costs.<\/span><\/p>\n Nobel laureate James Heckman and his colleagues have demonstrated that high-quality preschool can generate a <\/span>7\u201310% annual return on investment<\/span><\/b>,<\/span> making it a very effective economic development strategy.<\/span>4<\/sup><\/sup><\/span> Other reviews demonstrate that well-designed and implemented ECE programs improve the lives of children and their families <\/span>et return two to four dollars to society for every dollar invested<\/span>.<\/span><\/b>5<\/sup><\/sup><\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>These returns come from better school readiness, higher graduation rates, improved health, and increased long-term earnings\u2014outcomes that echo across communities and generations.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> ECEs Strengthen Communities From the Inside Out<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/span>None of these economic benefits happen without early childhood educators, the people who spend every day nurturing children\u2019s social, emotional, and cognitive development. ECEs build trust with families, create stability for communities, and support the wellbeing of children during their most formative years.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>Through the Atlantic Canada Early Childhood Education Lab, educators and directors told us repeatedly: when ECEs are supported, everything gets better: staff retention, child outcomes, family wellbeing, and centre stability. Strong, well-supported ECEs are the frontline workforce that makes inclusive prosperity possible.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>PDC\u2019s Commitment to Inclusive Prosperity<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>At PDC, part of our work focuses on building and supporting growth and opportunity that is shared, sustainable, and community-driven. Childcare is an essential pillar of that vision<\/span>. The prosperity of Atlantic Canada depends thriving families, and children who have the strongest possible start in life<\/span>. <\/span><\/b>None of these are achievable without a strong early childhood education system, and without ECEs whose work is valued, compensated, and supported.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>For our region to grow sustainably, equitably, and rapidly continued investment in ECE should be a core strategy. We must also recognize ECEs for what they are: core economic actors. They are not only educators\u2014they are enablers of workforce participation, builders of long-term human capital, and catalysts of inclusive growth.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>A Call to Action<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>If we want an economy that is vibrant, equitable, and future-focused, we must invest in the people who make participation possible. Early childhood educators are essential contributors to the prosperity of Atlantic Canada, today and for decades to come.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>PDC remains committed to advancing solutions that strengthen the childcare sector, honour the expertise of educators, and create the conditions where inclusive prosperity can take root and grow.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>In the end, prosperity begins in the places where children learn, grow, and feel cared for. And it begins with the people who make that possible\u2014our early childhood educators.<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n Works Cited<\/b><\/p>\n \n 1 Fortin, Pierre; Luc Godbout; and Suzie St-Cerny. \u201cImpact of Quebec\u2019s Universal Low-Fee Childcare Program on Female Labour Force Participation, Domestic Income, and Government Budgets.\u201d Report, Universit\u00e9 de Sherbrooke, (2012).<\/span><\/p>\n 2 Lefebvre, Pierre, and Philip Merrigan. \u201cChild\u2010Care Policy and the Labor Supply of Mothers with Young Children: A Natural Experiment from Canada.\u201d Journal of Labor Economics 26, no. 3 (2008): 519\u201348. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1086\/587760.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n 3 Humphries, John Eric, Christopher Neilson, Xiaoyang Ye, and Seth D. Zimmerman, “Parents’ Earnings and the Returns to Universal Pre-Kindergarten,” NBER Working Paper 33038 (2024), https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3386\/w33038.<\/p>\n 4 Heckman JJ, Moon SH, Pinto R, Savelyev PA, Yavitz A. \u201cThe Rate of Return to the High\/Scope Perry Preschool Program.\u201d Journal of Public Economy. (2010). 94(1-2):114-128. doi: 10.1016\/. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n 5 Karoly, Lynn A. \u201cThe Economic Returns to Early Childhood Education.\u201d The Future of Children 26(2):37-56 (2016). DOI:10.1353\/foc.2016.0011; Cannon JS, Kilburn MR, Karoly LA, Mattox T, Muchow AN, Buenaventura M. \u201cInvesting Early: Taking Stock of Outcomes and Economic Returns from Early Childhood Programs.\u201d Rand Health Q. (2018) 30;7(4):6.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> To learn more about the Atlantic Canada ECE Lab and explore the prototypes developed, visit our website: https:\/\/ponddeshpande.ca\/ecelab\/<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":2603,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7862","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Workforce Behind the Workforce: How ECEs Power the Economy<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>Follow Along<\/h3><\/span>