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By Ben Tompkins

Government Investments

Handful of northeast child care centers receive funding for additional spaces

Nov 11, 2023 | 8:00 AM

Over 2,300 new regulated childcare spaces will soon be opening across the province, with nearly 300 of those set to be in the northeast.

Carrot River (38), Humboldt (40), Melfort (90), Nipawin (23), and Tisdale (90) will all benefit through new development, expansion, or additional sites.

For the Nipawin Daycare Co-operative (NDC), they are receiving 23 additional spaces thanks to an expansion of their existing facility.

“We’re delighted and overwhelmed, there is a huge demand for childcare spaces in the building and the surrounding areas, and the waiting lists are so long for daycares at the moment, so it will make a huge difference in the community,” said Michelle Blanche, NDC director.

“We are hoping to be able to purchase the other half of the building that we currently sit in. We’re in negotiations with the town of Nipawin and their council, and we’re hoping that we’ll be able to gain that space that’s already connected to the daycare and be able to move into it.”

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A total of $23.5 million is being invested by the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada, through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which will help make all the new spaces a reality.

According to Blanche, it actually wouldn’t even be possible without the government’s support and funding.

“The funding is hugely important and it’s hugely appreciated because without the funding from the government, we wouldn’t be able to pursue it and move forward on it. We’re a nonprofit organization and like every other nonprofit organization in the province, country and world, funding is limited,” she told northeastNOW.

“When you get these opportunities, you have to jump on them. It’s a huge weight off our shoulders that we don’t have to look for that kind of money, so it’s just a really great opportunity for this daycare and I’m sure every other daycare in the province as well.”

Currently, the NDC has over 200 parents on their waitlist, with an average expected wait time of 10 months.

They support ages six weeks to 12 years and have 75 spots, all of which are filled.

When the new spots arrive, they are also very confident that they have enough staff and the ability to find more, if needed, to properly support the children.

The other four northeast locations include Casper’s Early Learning Co-operative Centre in Carrot River (New Development), Prairie Roots Early Learning Centre Inc. in Humboldt (New Development), Melfort Daycare Co-operative (Additional Site), and Tisdale Tiny Tornados (Additional Site).

A new development is classified as an organization with no other centres that is now opening its first centre, an additional site is listed as an organization with at least one operational centre that is now opening an additional centre, and an expansion is described as an organization with at least one operational centre that will undertake renovations in its facility to increase the number of spaces at that site.

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