October 31, 2025
Earnings of ECEs across Canada compared to poverty thresholds in urban and rural regions (Full Version Chart)
Updated: October 2025
The full version of this chart presents a comprehensive comparison of Early Childhood Educator (ECE) earnings across Canada, measured against the Market Basket Measure (MBM), a benchmark used by Statistics Canada to define poverty thresholds, also known as the living wage. The data highlights substantial wage disparities, with ECE salaries often falling below the living wage in most jurisdictions and, in some cases, barely exceeding it.
- Threshold Comparison: In many provinces and territories, ECE earnings sit just above or dangerously close to the living wage line, illustrating the financial instability faced by much of the workforce.
- Living Wage Gap: Only a few jurisdictions—typically those with stronger wage policies—see ECE salaries meeting or exceeding the local living wage. In most regions, ECEs earn wages that make it difficult to afford necessities despite their essential role in early childhood education.
- Regional Variations: Provinces and territories with higher government investment in child care and workforce compensation show smaller wage gaps, while others lag, exacerbating challenges related to recruitment and retention in the sector.
This data reinforces the urgent need for increased public investment, and stronger workforce policies to ensure fair compensation for ECEs and enhance workforce stability.
NOTE: This chart uses the Market Basket Measure (MBM) as a benchmark for poverty thresholds, which is synonymous with the living wage in this context. However, there are multiple ways to define and calculate a living wage based on regional and methodological differences. Information about the MBM can be found here: https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/ref/dict/az/Definition-eng.cfm?ID=pop165
The full version of this chart presents a comprehensive comparison of Early Childhood Educator (ECE) earnings across Canada, measured against the Market Basket Measure (MBM), a benchmark used by Statistics Canada to define poverty thresholds, also known as the living wage. The data highlights substantial wage disparities, with ECE salaries often falling below the living wage in most jurisdictions and, in some cases, barely exceeding it.
- Threshold Comparison: In many provinces and territories, ECE earnings sit just above or dangerously close to the living wage line, illustrating the financial instability faced by much of the workforce.
- Living Wage Gap: Only a few jurisdictions—typically those with stronger wage policies—see ECE salaries meeting or exceeding the local living wage. In most regions, ECEs earn wages that make it difficult to afford necessities despite their essential role in early childhood education.
- Regional Variations: Provinces and territories with higher government investment in child care and workforce compensation show smaller wage gaps, while others lag, exacerbating challenges related to recruitment and retention in the sector.
This data reinforces the urgent need for increased public investment, and stronger workforce policies to ensure fair compensation for ECEs and enhance workforce stability.
NOTE: This chart uses the Market Basket Measure (MBM) as a benchmark for poverty thresholds, which is synonymous with the living wage in this context. However, there are multiple ways to define and calculate a living wage based on regional and methodological differences. Information about the MBM can be found here: https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/ref/dict/az/Definition-eng.cfm?ID=pop165
