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Excerpt: "The Yukon government has appointed a four-member Independent Panel to lead a comprehensive review of the Department of Education. The aim of the review is to support the long-term wellbeing of Yukoners by continuing to put learners at the centre of the education system. The review, a part of the government’s mandate, will look at how the department supports learners, families and educators across the Yukon’s three school authorities, as well as those accessing post-secondary and adult learning supports. By examining these core services, the panel will identify what is working well and where improvements can be made. The goal of the review is to ensure the Yukon’s education system from kindergarten to Grade 12 and beyond is fair, responsive and that it meets the territory’s needs."

Excerpt: "On February 24, 2025, the Government of Yukon, in partnership with the Government of Canada, signed a five-year extension agreement for the Canada-Yukon Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which will now run through March 31, 2031. This agreement will provide the Yukon with approximately $74 million, including a three per cent annual funding increase for four years starting in 2027–28. This funding is aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the early learning and child care system in the territory and supports the final year of the Infrastructure Fund (2026–27), which is critical for further strengthening child care services. “This extension builds on the universal child care system that our government introduced in April 2021, part of a $25 million annual investment in our early learning and child care system to provide access to high-quality, inclusive and affordable licensed early learning and child care to all Yukon families. It also builds on the Canada-Yukon Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, signed in July 2024 with the Government of Canada, which is providing nearly $42 million over five years to support the growth of the Yukon’s child care system and the professional development of early childhood educators and to ensure that all families have access to an average of $10 a day out-of-pocket parent fees for full-time regulated early learning and child care spaces for children under age six."

Excerpt: "Over 560 Yukoners completed the online survey between May 14 and June 15, 2025, and additional feedback came from in-person sessions and meetings with community partners and Yukon First Nations. Key findings show that: over 80 per cent of respondents support building a new public school downtown; the Kèjän and Rogers site (formerly 5th and Rogers) was the preferred location for most respondents, followed by the current École Whitehorse Elementary School site; traffic flow, safety, accessibility and access to green spaces were top priorities for many participants; and many respondents want the new school to include outdoor learning spaces, community spaces like gyms and early learning and child care services."

Excerpt: "The Yukon’s Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund has awarded $381,500 in funding to two community projects to enhance early learning and child care programming in the Yukon. The fund exclusively supports not-for-profit and public early learning and child care providers. Its goal is to increase spaces in priority areas such as rural, First Nations-led programs and French first language programs, and to improve accessibility in early learning and child care centres. These investments are part of the Government of Yukon’s ongoing commitment to support children and families from diverse backgrounds. The fund builds on existing programs that help Yukon families save up to $8,400 per child annually through the universal child care program. It also promotes fair wages for early childhood educators and provides more support for licensed child care operators."

Excerpt: "The Government of Yukon has introduced the Integrated Outcome Strategy for Yukon Learners, a comprehensive 10-year strategy designed to help ensure that every Yukon student from Kindergarten to Grade 12 can achieve their best results. This strategy aims to close achievement gaps across the territory and reimagine the Yukon’s education system for the future. This strategy directly responds to the 2019 Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Yukon Legislative Assembly, Kindergarten through Grade 12 Education in Yukon, which recommended developing a structured approach to improving student outcomes. Guided by 10 values and four key paths, the strategy will introduce more coordinated and responsive approaches to meet students’ needs."

Excerpt: "The Early Learning and Child Care Act (2025) Bill No. 48 received assent today in the Yukon Legislative Assembly, marking a significant milestone in modernizing child care legislation in the territory. This new Act will replace an outdated law and align the Yukon’s early learning and child care system with best practices across Canada. Developed through extensive collaboration with early childhood educators, families, Yukon First Nations and stakeholders, the Act reflects the voices and concerns of Yukoners. It enshrines the principles of quality, accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring Yukon children and families receive the best possible care and support. For the first time, the Yukon’s early childhood educators and the process for their certification are officially recognized in law, highlighting their role as professionals. The new Act also ensures that licensed child care providers pay educators fair wages, with regulations outlining how they must be paid. This will help guarantee professional wages for professional educators, supporting high quality in early learning programs."

Excerpt: "Since 2019 the department has made progress on several initiatives to address systemic inequities and achieve better student outcomes. Here are some of the highlights: Launching the Universal Early Learning and Child Care model and continuing to invest in high quality, accessible and affordable early learning programs for Yukon
children. This supports positive outcomes for children and helps to close gaps in student achievement; Further enhancing early learning through the provision of kindergarten and full-day kindergarten in rural communities to provide children with opportunities to engage in developmentally appropriate, play-based curriculum for longer periods (over two years), which fosters deeper understanding and development of solid foundational skills as they enter grade one; The department has continued to work with the First Nation School Board and the Chiefs Committee on Education to support the successes of the First Nation School Board, which operates eleven Yukon schools and develops and implements Indigenous language and culture education programs and programs designed to improve student outcomes within the education system; At the same time, the department has continued to work directly with Yukon First Nation governments to address joint education priorities through several collaborative initiatives inclusive of work on the Collaboration Framework and the next Joint Education Action Plan; The department has also continued work to advance the Review of Inclusive and Special Education (RISE) and to advance the RISE workplan which was co-developed with Yukon First Nations Education Commissioners and Advisory Committee for Yukon Education."

Excerpt: "The progress report highlights the Department of Education's dedication to meaningful systemic changes designed to improve student outcomes. Since 2019, the Department of Education has launched several initiatives to address the gaps in the Yukon’s education system and to improve student outcomes. These include: launching the Universal Child Care model; launching enhanced early kindergarten and full day kindergarten in most rural communities; working with the Chiefs Committee on Education to establish the First Nation School Board; finalizing a Collaboration Framework with Yukon First Nations; completing the Review of Inclusive and Special Education; advancing the Reimagining Inclusive and Special Education (RISE) work plan, which was developed with partners; developing a Comprehensive Mental Health and Wellness Approach that aligns with the Yukon’s Forward Together: Mental Wellness Strategy; launching the Ready-to-Learn Schools initiative; creating a data sharing agreement with Yukon First Nations and releasing publicly available student data reports; and initiating work and engagement on an Integrated Outcome for Yukon Learner Strategy, which will look at root causes of poor student outcomes, develop targets and evaluate progress on closing gaps."

Excerpt: "We are investing in upgrading school infrastructure across the Yukon, including the relocation of École Whitehorse Elementary School, building the Kêts’ádań Kų̀ School in Burwash Landing, and starting the work to consult on building a new school in downtown Whitehorse. We are supporting families and helping young people get the right start in life by increasing the number of early learning and childcare spaces. We are also investing in education professionals, continuing to support strong wages for early childhood educators, signing a new collective agreement with Yukon teachers, and hiring more educators and school staff."

Excerpt: "Through the National School Food Program, the Government of Canada will invest approximately $7.4 million over the next three years for things like upgrading school food kitchen facilities, purchasing food and offering more nutritious meals to students. These enhancements are particularly significant for remote communities in the Yukon and will provide children most affected by food insecurity with access to more consistent and nutritious meals at school."

Excerpt: "Our government is committed to providing Yukoners with high-quality early learning and child care that is affordable, accessible and inclusive. Throughout these discussions, my focus was on bringing the Yukon to the forefront. This includes highlighting the importance of the Government of Canada’s support for the Yukon’s school food programs. Once finalized, the new National School Food Program agreement will help expand these programs, ensuring that more children across the territory receive the nutritious meals they need. This program would benefit families, support the economy and directly invests in our children’s health, education and future."

Excerpt: "Since the implementation of universal child care in April 2021, and as of March 31, 2024, a total of 477 additional child care spaces have been created in Pelly Crossing, Whitehorse, Ross River, and Dawson. These programs continue to expand and grow, benefiting more children and their families. As of March 31, 2024, 1,896 children and their families were benefiting from universal child care, saving up to $8,400 a year per child enrolled in a licensed program. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the department provided $9,788,917 to licensed programs to support wages and benefits for early childhood educators. Additionally, Yukon families saved $14,153,927 in child care costs through the Government of Yukon’s universal child care and subsidy programs. During this period, 87 bursaries were awarded, including 85 part-time and two full-time bursaries. Of the full-time bursaries, one recipient was from a rural community and one from a Whitehorse French-language program. Twenty-three of the part-time bursaries went to recipients in rural Yukon."