Released on December 7, 2018
Today, Crown Investments Corporation Minister Joe Hargrave on behalf of Deputy Premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant, joined students and staff at St. Catherine Catholic School and Children’s Choice Child Development Co-operative in Prince Albert to announce that nearly 150 additional child care centre spaces have been allocated in Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon and Swift Current.Children’s Choice will be receiving 54 of these spaces. Funding is being provided through the Canada-Saskatchewan Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Agreement.
“We are very excited to be able to allocate more licensed child care centre spaces,” Hargrave said. “Today’s announcement brings our total allocation to nearly 1,200 new spaces across the province this year. Access to affordable, high-quality child care is important to families across Saskatchewan and we are very pleased to make child care accessible for more families in Prince Albert.”
“The Government of Canada is committed to helping families access quality early learning and child care,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. “Today’s announcement will ensure that more families and children have a real chance to succeed right across Saskatchewan.”
Children’s Choice and Prince Albert Catholic schools currently have a partnership to operate three child care centres in Prince Albert, located at St. Michael Community School, St. Francis School and École St. Anne School. This allocation of 54 new child care spaces will allow the partnership to open a fourth child care centre to be located at St. Catherine Catholic School. It is scheduled to open by March 2020.
“This is an exciting endeavor that makes a difference for families with children school age and younger,” Prince Albert Catholic Schools Board of Education Chair George Bolduc said.
“We are looking forward to extending our partnership with Prince Albert Catholic Schools and providing more opportunities for quality early learning environments for young families,” Children’s Choice Child Development Co-operative Board Chair Crystal Grovestine said.
The remaining spaces are being allocated as follows:
- YWCA in Regina - 51 spaces
- Natural Wonders Early Learning Centre Inc. in Swift Current – 30 spaces
- Hope’s Home in Saskatoon – 14 spaces
The Government of Saskatchewan prioritizes allocating new child care spaces in communities where there is both a high need for child care and a higher level of vulnerability, and to organizations that are ready to move forward with centre development. Offering flexible child care arrangements, or support for Indigenous or new Canadian families is also a priority.
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For more information, contact:
Chris Hodges
Education
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1069
Email: chris.hodges@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-533-7506
Lorel Trumier
Prince Albert Catholic Schools
Prince Albert
Phone: 306-953-7500
Email: lorel.trumier@pacsd.ca