Steps are underway to create new child care spaces in Hastings County.
A new formal application process is getting underway for creating new child care spaces or expanding current sites.
Hastings County Council has agreed to accept the amended Canada-Wide Early Learning Child Care funding allocation in the net amount of $2,831,819.
Hastings County has been allocated 828 new child care spaces (730 community-based, 98 school-based) to be realized by the end of 2026 in priority communities identified by the County.
The provincial expansion targets have been allocated to regions based on the following socio-economic factors: including children five and under in lone parent families, and lower income families,
- Households spending greater than 30 per cent of income on shelter costs
- Recent immigrants, and
- Women aged 25-44 not participating in labour force
Hastings County was allocated funds for start-up grants to support the creation of new, affordable child care spaces for children under age six.
In addition to the socio-economic factors identified by the province, community prioritization for child care expansion in Hastings County was achieved by reviewing both child care demand and additional neighbourhood information collected from Statistics Canada and Early Development Instrument. The data collected includes indicators such as immigration, ethnicity, income, Indigenous, Francophone, and Special Needs. The following areas were identified as priority populations:
- City of Belleville
- City of Quinte West
- Municipality of Centre Hastings
- Municipality of Marmora and Lake
- Municipality of Tweed
- Town of Bancroft
- Municipality of Hastings Highlands
- Township of Stirling Rawdon
- Township of Tyendinaga
The Hastings County 2023 CWELCC allocations have been adjusted to reflect: 1) child care space enrolment as of December 31, 2022, and 2) Hastings County’s approved 2023 child care expansion targets.
In addition, Hastings County was allocated funds for start-up grants to support the creation of new, affordable child care spaces for children under age six. This funding will support materials, equipment, furnishing or renovations to licensed full day child care facilities or potentially new child care facilities. The full breakdown and adjustment of CWELCC 2023 funding is summarized below:
Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) System Allocation 2023:
Base Funding $12,534,198, Adjustment to Enrolment (actual as of December 31, 2022) ($475,593)
2023 Directed Growth $1,543,311
Administration Allocation – 2023 Directed Growth $39,450
Start-up Grant Allocation $1,724,651
Total Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Allocation $15,603,283
