A Wage Grid and Compensation Structure for Saskatchewan’s Early Childhood Educators

The Saskatchewan Early Learning and Care Leaders’ Caucus partnered with academic and economic experts to develop wage and compensation recommendations in response to the long-standing issues of low wages, burnout, and high turnover among Early Childhood Educators (ECEs). Drawing on sector research and earlier system-building work such as “Strategies to Improve the Total Compensation and Working Conditions of Certified Early Childhood Educators in Saskatchewan” (2024) and “Roadmap to a Quality Early Learning and Child Care System in Saskatchewan” (2021), the project positions compensation reform as a cornerstone of building a high-quality, sustainable early learning system in Saskatchewan.

This report is a clear plan to fix the child care workforce crisis providing a province‑wide wage grid, universal benefits, and pensions that recognize early childhood educators as skilled professionals. Investing in fair pay, working conditions, and professional learning will help attract and retain qualified educators, improve program quality, and support children, families, and the provincial economy.