Introduction
Growth by Design, Child Care Now’s federally funded Innovation Project, is examining and promoting innovative strategies to support the sustainable expansion of public and not-for-profit Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) in Canada. As part of this work, seven provincial and territorial case studies are being undertaken—in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Nunavut. Each case study aims to identify promising approaches to ELCC expansion and to explore policies and practices that enhance equitable access for families.
The case studies focus primarily on the expansion of public and not-for-profit Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) services. While the central emphasis is on expansion—both physical and operational—it also encompasses the broader policy and programmatic environment that enables or constrains growth. This includes examination of key systemic supports such as workforce recruitment and retention strategies, funding formulas, governance structures, and measures aimed at ensuring equitable access to high-quality child care for underserved populations.
The case study activities include:
- A thorough review of government websites and documents, policy frameworks, and public reports related to ELCC
- Compilation and analysis of relevant data from successive editions of Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada
- Key informant interviews and meetings with provincial government officials, provincial child care associations, ELCC administrators and other key stakeholders
- Focus groups with child care operators and frontline staff to gather perspectives on workforce, funding, and service delivery challenges;
- Site visits to a range of early learning and child care programs, providing insights into local implementation, infrastructure, and experiences with expansion.
This document provides an overview of the ELCC landscape in PEI—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. It outlines PEI’s key commitments under the CWELCC funding agreement relevant to expansion, summarizes site visits and stakeholder engagement activities undertaken in the province, and highlights emerging themes and findings. These findings will continue to be updated over the life of the project as new developments unfold.