What it measures
Dimension: Basic educational knowledge and skills
This indicator reports the proportion of young Canadians (age 0 to 5 years) for whom there is space in a regulated childcare centre. Education is a life-long process, and this indicator provides a snapshot of the availability of regulated and supportive learning environments for very young Canadians. Over the past two decades, the availability of centre-based childcare spaces for pre-school children increased from 11.5% in 1995 to 24.1% in 2014. Still, there is not enough space in regulated childcare space for most Canadian children under the age of five.
Why this matters
High-quality childcare is shown to positively influence children’s social, emotional, developmental, and educational outcomes. This influence is especially notable among children from families with lower income and education levels, or who are otherwise disadvantaged.