Child-care Centres Get Help to Expand
Families will have greater access to child care following the announcement of $2.4 million in additional funding to increase the number of full-day child care spaces in the province.
Two programs have been created to provide financial assistance to licensed non-profit and commercial child-care centres that expand and create new full-day child-care spaces. Preference will be given to centres increasing the number of infant child-care spaces.
"Families need accessible, quality care for their children," Community Services Minister David Morse said today, March 8. "These new programs will help child-care centres create more spaces and offer enhanced services to more children and their families."
The child care centre expansion grant is available to licensed, non-profit child-care centres to expand existing facilities or to help with the costs of constructing a new child-care space. Child-care centres may be eligible for up to 75 per cent of the costs of expansion or new construction. The child-care centre will be responsible for funding the remaining 25 per cent through in-kind services and/or financial contributions.
The child care centre expansion loan is available to licensed commercial child-care centres to expand an existing child-care centre or to construct a new child-care space.
While the purpose of these grants and loans is to increase the number of full-day child care spaces, part-day child-care centres can also apply to expand into a full-day licensed child-care centre. Non-profit, licensed part-day child-care centres can apply for the expansion grant and commercial, licensed part-day child-care centres can apply for the expansion loan.
Applications must be received by the Department of Community Services by Friday, April 29.
The funding is being provided under the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care, a joint agreement of the government of Canada and the government of Nova Scotia to improve and expand early childhood development programs and services.