For more than a decade, the Childcare Resource and Research Unit at the University of Toronto has compiled data and information about child care policy and services on a regular basis. The publication that is now ECEC in Canada grew from a "provincial fact sheets" format to Child Care in Canada: Provinces and Territories, then to a broader conception of "early childhood education and care" (ECEC). Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada 2004 is the 6th version to be published (1989, 1992, 1995,1998, 2001 and 2004).
In keeping with current conceptions of the early childhood education and care field, this edition includes cross-Canada information on provincial/territorial public kindergarten, regulated child care, maternity and parental leave and relevant demographic information. It also includes an examination of: the state of ECEC in Canada, federal ECEC programs, and Aboriginal ECEC.
A 12-page document entitled Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada 2004: Trends and Analysis accompanies the full report. This document summarizes the more detailed information found in the full publication, as well as providing insight further insight into key trends in ECEC across Canada.