Alternate Education Minister John Haggie believes the new benefits plan implemented for early childhood educators will have an impact on recruitment and retention efforts.

The new plan came into effect on October 1. It sees government pay 60 per cent for workers in regulated centres, with workers/employers covering the extra 40 per cent.

Haggie says the program will help expand the availability of spaces as more ECEs are trained and retained.

The province requires 2,500 more pre-kindergarten spaces, and a couple thousand more daycares spaces. He says this program will help ensure they have a larger supply of ECEs to meet the demand.