Warning message

Please note that this page is from our archives. There may be more up-to-date content about this topic on our website. Use our search engine to find out.

  • Child care wages are extremely low. Nationally, the survey showed the hourly rate was $11.62 for a teacher and only $9.59 for an assistant.
  • Ninety-one per cent of child care workers made higher wages their top priority in a recent survey.
  • The same study found that turnover of child care workers was directly linked to wage rates. For workers earning less than $10.50 an hour the turnover rate was 40 per cent. Those earning between $10.50 and $13.99 had a 23 per cent turnover. For those earning over $14 an hour, turnover dropped to 20 per cent.
  • Ninety-five per cent of teaching staff said that they made a positive difference in childrens lives.
  • As well, approximately 84 per cent said the job made good use of their skills, was stimulating and challenging and gave them a sense of accomplishment.
  • However, a substantial proportion of teaching staff said that there was not enough time to do what must be done, and that at the end of the day they were physically or emotionally exhausted.
  • Almost 55 per cent felt there was too little time to complete their work. Forty-eight per cent of respondents said they felt physically exhausted at the end of the day, and 29 per cent felt emotionally drained.
  • On average, child care workers put in the equivalent of 5.3 hours of unpaid overtime per week.
  • A childs brain development in the first six years of life sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behaviour and health.

Source: You Bet I Care!, Canada-wide study of Wages, Working Conditions and Practices in Child Care Centres published by the Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being.