Expansions to available childcare are coming to Hastings County.
During Wednesday’s Community and Human Services committee meeting, council received some updates on expansions to existing child care in the region, and new child-care centres starting up.
Funding is being distributed to several child-care services, provided by the provincial and federal governments in order to support expansion of the available child-care spaces in the area. This round of funding is expected to create capacity for 91 more child-care spaces and relocate 95 existing spaces.
Three services are receiving funding through infrastructure funding applications. Light Olives Child Care Centre is receiving $1,172,500 to renovate and retrofit a space in Stirling to create 67 new child-care spaces.
North Hastings Children’s Services is set to receive $543,123 in infrastructure funding along with a start-up grant of $331,851 in order to expand their existing services by 39 spaces. An addition is being constructed on their building in Bancroft to support the expansion.
Little Rascals Child Care Centre is receiving $554,135 in infrastructure funding, along with a $142,500 start-up grant, to support relocating to a new space in Belleville, with a total of 95 spaces.
In addition, there is a start-up grant for Catundra Day Care Centre of $245,149 to support a new infant room at their location in Belleville, providing capacity for nine more children.
All funding for these expansions has been provided by the provincial and federal governments through the Canada-Wide Early Learning Child Care System.
The committee approved the funding without debate and forwarded it on to council for final approval.
