WAGE Project information
What is the WAGE Equity project?
The Equity Project (funded by Woman And Gender Equality Canada) is a scale up from the previous Home Child Care WAGE project. Compass Early Learning and Care (CELC) will work to address barriers that inhibit equity-deserving people from engaging in full and meaningful labour market participation as Early Childhood Educators (ECEs).
How is equity-deserving defined?
To us, equity-deserving means people who, due to systemic/historic discrimination and under-representation, face barriers that prevent them from having the same access to resources and opportunities. This includes newcomer and low-income women, and 2SLGBTQI+, gender non-conforming, racialized – Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, those with disabilities, and other barriers that we haven’t defined.
What will the project look like? What does the project look like in 2026?
We hope to gain insight from 20 participants (10 equity-deserving educators and 10 program leads) from across Compass ELC centres to address internal barriers to:
- develop hiring and onboarding practices through policies and organizational diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (DEI)
- engage working groups and partners, including municipalities and child care communities, and DEI committees across our regions to gather information about intersectionality
- develop resources to identify barriers to education and employment
- review, assess existing CELC policies, procedures and practices and create new ones that centre equity
- develop sustainability plan to remove barriers and increase stability for ECEs
In 2026, the WAGE project team has been continuing to meet with, and learn from, the 18 (8 equity-deserving educators and 10 program leads) Compass ELC participants. Additional plans are underway to meet with an external focus group comprised of equity-deserving educators across the regions to understand the barriers they are facing.
With the feedback we have received so far, the WAGE project team has begun working to develop various resources (e.g., post-orientation videos), and improve the language in some Compass policies.
We have also been able to accomplish some of our goals. In particular, adjustments have been made to the hiring and onboarding practices.
How are participants compensated for their time?
Honoraria has been and will continued to be paid to participants for completing interviews with the evaluator and for their participation in focus groups with the project coordinators and evaluator.
Each participant will receive $25/hour (50 hours/per participant maximum) for each year.
What are some ways the project will engage with Compass and our communities?
The WAGE project coordinators and third-party consultants and evaluator have been engaging working groups, some new and some existing partners, and DEI-focused planning committees and organizations located in Durham, Peterborough, CKL, Northumberland and Haliburton.
The goal has been to help build and orient advisory committee members to support equity-deserving centre-based Early Childcare Educators in collaboration with community partners.
In the fall of 2025, the WAGE Team hosted the DEI at the Core conference. On October 7 & 8, 70 participants from across Compass ELC and community stakeholders were engaged in reflective practices and to gain new insights in alignment with the goals of the Compass ELC WAGE project. Participants reflected a strong desire for both personal and professional transformation and to develop strategies for practical application of DEI principles in the childcare context.
Priority was given to equity-deserving educators but others were provided spaces if possible.
Who can I contact with other curiosities I have about the project?
You can reach the project coordinators by e-mail
