Prince Albert child care spaces will grow by 46 slots. (submitted photo/paNOW)

By paNOW staff

Child care

Prince Albert gets expanded childcare

Nov 17, 2022 | 10:58 AM

Parents in Prince Albert will have more choices when it comes to child care as the provincial and federal governments are kicking in funding to increase spaces and bring down fees.

The Bloom and Buds Intergenerational Child Care Centre will get money to expand by 46 spaces.

To the east in Melfort, the Young Minds Care and Learning Centre will have 30 spaces, while the Nipawin Early Learning Centre will be able to care for 60 children.

The announcements are a part of the federal and provincial plan to create more spaces and reduce fees to $10 per day by March 2026.

“We know that a strong early learning and child care system will drive economic growth, increase women’s participation in the workforce and offer each child in Canada the best start in life,” Canada’s Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould said in an emailed statement. “These additional licensed child care spaces will allow more children and families across the province to access high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care.”

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Fees have already dropped by an average 70 per cent in Saskatchewan, says the province, after a joint investment of almost $29 million that is to develop over 2,100 new spaces.

“Today our government is pleased to announce a significant expansion in regulated child care, which is so important to Saskatchewan families,” Minister of Education Dustin Duncan said. “In our growing province, we are providing funding for nearly 2,200 more children to attend regulated child care, which provides high-quality early learning, play and exploration environments for our youngest learners.”

Of the new spaces, about 1,600 have been allocated to organizations to build new facilities or add new spaces to existing buildings.

The remaining 598 funded spaces will be allocated to organizations later this year through an application process.

New centres looking to open are eligible to receive $10,000 per childcare space for the capital development of their centres.