Nova Scotia’s Early Childhood Educator (ECE) compensation framework will help support licensed centers to offer more care, stabilize and grow the Early Childhood Education workforce and the child care sector.
ECEs working in licensed centres and family home agencies that receive funding received a wage increase, retroactive to July 4, 2022. The wage increase took effect last Fall.
On this page
- Highlights
- Wage Scale
- Current Wage Scale – In effect until March 31, 2023
- New Wage Scale – Comes into effect April 1, 2023
- ECE Compensation Fact Sheet
- Timeline
- How will retroactive pay work?
- ECE Upskilling Fact Sheet
- Quality Investment Grant (QIG) Operator Guide
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sector Memos
- Sector call (recording and slides)
- Posters
Highlights
- Level 1, 2 and 3 ECEs and Directors working in licensed centres are now part of a provincially funded wage scale that will receive annual increases in line with the public sector.
- All ECEs will receive the increase; including those with ‘red circled’ rates of pay
- The first increase of 3% will occur on April 1, 2023
- Another 0.5% increase will be provided on March 31, 2024
- Other wage highlights include an education premium of $1.50/hour for graduates of the Advanced Practitioner Program
- Wage increases will flow through employers (licensed, funded centres and agencies)
Are you interested in learning more about becoming an ECE or increasing your existing qualifications?
Check out the ECE Upskilling Factsheet and the programs and funding available, including the Advanced Practitioner Pilot Program at https://www.ednet.ns.ca/ece/training
Current Wage Scale
| Position & Level | Years of Experience | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 4-5+ | |
| Director - Level 1 | $22.92 | $23.60 | $24.31 | $25.04 | $25.79 |
| Director - Level 2 / School Age | $24.98 | $25.73 | $26.50 | $27.29 | $28.11 |
| Director - Level 3 | $26.01 | $26.79 | $27.59 | $28.42 | $29.27 |
| Assistant Director / Inclusion Coordinator - Level 1 | $21.01 | $21.64 | $22.29 | $22.96 | $23.64 |
| Assistant Director / Inclusion Coordinator - Level 2 / School Age | $22.90 | $23.58 | $24.29 | $25.02 | $25.77 |
| Assistant Director / Inclusion Coordinator - Level 3 | $23.84 | $24.55 | $25.29 | $26.05 | $26.83 |
| ECE - Level 1 | $19.10 | $19.67 | $20.26 | $20.87 | $21.49 |
| ECE - Level 2 / School Age | $20.81 | $21.44 | $22.08 | $22.74 | $23.43 |
| ECE - Level 3 | $21.67 | $22.32 | $22.99 | $23.68 | $24.39 |
New Wage Scale – Comes into effect April 1, 2023
| Position & Level | Years of Experience | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <1 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 4-5+ | |
| Director - Level 1 | $23.61 | $24.31 | $25.04 | $25.79 | $26.56 |
| Director - Level 2 / School Age | $25.73 | $26.50 | $27.30 | $28.11 | $28.95 |
| Director - Level 3 | $26.79 | $27.59 | $28.42 | $29.27 | $30.15 |
| Assistant Director / Inclusion Coordinator - Level 1 | $21.64 | $22.29 | $22.96 | $23.65 | $24.35 |
| Assistant Director / Inclusion Coordinator - Level 2 / School Age | $23.59 | $24.29 | $25.02 | $25.77 | $26.54 |
| Assistant Director / Inclusion Coordinator - Level 3 | $24.56 | $25.29 | $26.05 | $26.83 | $27.63 |
| ECE - Level 1 | $19.67 | $20.26 | $20.87 | $21.50 | $22.13 |
| ECE - Level 2 / School Age | $21.43 | $22.08 | $22.74 | $23.42 | $24.13 |
| ECE - Level 3 | $22.32 | $22.99 | $23.68 | $24.39 | $25.12 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sector Memos
- 25 January 2023 - Wage Increases for Early Childhood Educators
- 26 October 2022 - ECE posters
- 12 October 2022 - ECE Classification Process and Timelines
- 12 October 2022 - Higher Wages for Early Childhood Educators (ECEs)
Sector call: recording and presentation
- Slides from Sector call (PDF)
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