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While the provincial government has increased its funding for day- care spaces in Northumberland by five spaces, one Cobourg day-care service alone has a waiting lists exceeding 40.
And Cook's Day Care Inc. executive director Lynn Stubbings says she expects the need for additional child-care spaces to increase, come September.
About a year and a half ago, when the federal government withdrew from the Best Chart Child Care program to which it had previously committed funding, the provincial government remained committed and provided 100-per-cent funding for 194 spaces, Northumberland-Quinte West Liberal MPP Lou Rinaldi said in an interview yesterday. The local Best Start day-care plan was submitted through Northumberland County, he said.
Those first 194 spaces, plus the additional five new child-care spaces just announced, "were all we were able to put in place," confirmed Northumberland County's children services manager Clare Briggs, even thought the need is greater.
The capital costs of building new premises were cost prohibitive when the program was put in place, so the additional child-care spaces were provided within existing facilities, she said.
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The area of biggest need is for the physical space and care for infants from age 18 months to two and a half years, Ms. Briggs said.
In addition to the youngest age group, spaces for school-aged children are needed, Mrs. Stubbings also said.
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- reprinted from the Cobourg Daily Star