Submission #2326

I am writing today not only as a parent, but also as a teacher in Prince Edward Island, to express my deep concern regarding the recent budget cuts affecting early childhood education centers and on-site supports.

As both a mom and an educator, I see firsthand how essential these supports truly are. The “extra” staff members are not extra at all. They are the people who help classrooms function safely, smoothly, and inclusively every single day. They support children with additional needs, assist overwhelmed educators, help maintain ratios, and allow programs to operate effectively. Without them, the pressure placed on early childhood educators becomes unsustainable.

I am deeply worried about the ripple effect these cuts will create for families, educators, and schools across PEI. If daycare centers are forced to close classrooms due to staffing shortages and lack of support, many parents — myself included — may be left without childcare options and forced to stay home from work. As a French teacher, I can confidently say our education system is already struggling with substitute shortages and teacher shortages. Losing even more educators because families cannot access childcare will only worsen an already critical situation.

Early childhood education is not separate from the success of our school system and workforce — it is the foundation of it. When childcare centers lose supports, the effects are felt everywhere: in schools, workplaces, and homes across the province.

I respectfully ask that these decisions be reconsidered and that greater value be placed on the essential work being done in our childcare centers every day. The supports being removed are not luxuries; they are what allow centers to continue providing safe, high-quality care for Island children and stability for Island families.