Funding for Hundreds of New Child Care Spaces

$2.4 million is being invested in Nova Scotian children and families, in a move to improve access to child care by creating 750 new spaces. The money is provided by a three-year, $35 million investment from the federal government, part of an early learning and child care funding agreement signed in January 2018.

“When children have access to affordable, quality and inclusive play-based child care they develop the skills they need to succeed in school and in later life,” said Iain Rankin, Minister of Lands and Forestry on behalf of Zach Churchill, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “We know that greater access to regulated early learning and child care is critical for child development. That’s why we’ve added 2,245 new spaces since 2014.”

Another $5.9 million is being made available to help the child care sector grow and meet the needs of the communities it serves.

“delivering better high-quality and affordable child care for families across Nova Scotia”

Child care centres applied to receive Strategic Growth Initiative funding, a consultation process that lasted from March and September 2018. 13 operators are receiving part of a total of $695,000 to expand or open 455 new child care spaces in eight regions, leaving $1.1 million for help with annual operating costs.

“The Government of Canada is committed to helping middle class families access quality early learning and child care,” said Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development, on behalf of Jean-Yves Duclos, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

“Today’s announcement is a big step towards ensuring that children get the best start in life and delivering better high-quality and affordable child care for families across Nova Scotia.”

Additionally, Fourteen regulated family home child care agencies are set to receive $372,000, meant to create and sustain 301 new spaces by adding a total of 43 approved family home child care sites. $227,000 will be left to help with annual operating costs.

These new spaces mean access to childcare for families with infants, toddlers, pre-school and pre-primary-aged children in communities where child care can be difficult to acess.

“We are excited as a team to begin this new project of adding a toddler classroom to our early learning program,” said Lisa Beddow, owner and operator of Friends for Life Childcare Centre in Hatchet Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality. “With the strategic growth funding we have the opportunity to offer more spaces for the families of the Prospect area to receive care closer to home, in an inclusive, quality learning environment.”

A second round of funding for the Strategic Growth Initiative and Space Conversion Grant will also be offered with money from the additional $5.9 million, in addition to a new Program Enhancement Grant for non-profit centres.

More information about these programs and a breakdown of the investment is available at https://www.ednet.ns.ca/docs/strat-growth-factsheet-010919.pdf .

For a list of centres and child care agencies receiving funding go to https://www.ednet.ns.ca/docs/strat-growth-announcement-010919.pdf .