New Pictou County Child-Care Spaces
The Province is providing $3.1 million in infrastructure funding for a renovation and addition to the Plymouth Community Centre that will allow the creation of 58 early learning spaces, including 16 infant spaces. (Province of Nova Scotia / File)
Families in Plymouth, Pictou County, will have more access to early learning and child-care spaces opening in their community.
The Province is providing the Plymouth Community and Recreation Association with $3.1 million in infrastructure funding for a renovation and addition to the Plymouth Community Centre that will allow the creation of 58 early learning spaces, including 16 infant spaces.
“Investments in child care are investments in families and in our future,” said Premier Tim Houston. “I’m pleased that our government is supporting the community centre to continue its legacy of helping young people and families by adding new child-care spaces.”
The building has a long history educating and caring for young people in the community. It was first built as a school in 1865 and was converted to a community centre in the 1970s.
The community centre will continue to offer community gathering and recreational space once the child-care centre opens in February 2026.
The investment is from the Early Learning and Child Care Major Infrastructure Program.
Quotes:
“The board of the Plymouth Community and Recreation Association embraced this idea from its inception. This is a game-changer for our rural communities. Our building was purposely built as a school and is centrally located for young families to access. This is a community-based response to the pressing need for affordable and accessible child care.”
— Janet MacDonald, board Chair, Plymouth Community and Recreation Association
“This initiative expands access to sustainable child care, addressing a key barrier to workforce development in Pictou County. Through strong community collaboration and the partnership’s community impact programming made possible by the Sobey Foundation, it will empower families, support local employment and serve as a unique co-operative model for the future.”
— Mary Ellen Makhlouf, community impact programming lead, Pictou County Partnership
Quick Facts:
- funding is through the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement
- to date, the government has announced 11 projects under the major infrastructure pro-gram
- since 2021, almost 7,000 new child-care spaces have been created across the province
- Nova Scotia has signed a five-year extension to the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement and the Canada-Nova Scotia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, worth more than $1 billion total
Additional Resources:
More information on early learning and child care in Nova Scotia: https://childcarenovascotia.ca/
Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement: https://www.canada.ca/en/early-learning-child-care-agreement/agreements-provinces-territories/nova-scotia-canada-wide-2021.html
To receive regular updates about child care in Nova Scotia via newsletter: https://childcarenovascotia.ca/latest-news
For information on child-care centres and family home agencies by community: https://nsbr-online-services.novascotia.ca/DCSOnline/ECDS/loadSearchPage.action