Future Timmins child care centre gets $4 million boost from province
People in Timmins' South Porcupine neighbourhood are one step closer to getting a new child care facility.
The Northeast District Catholic School Board is receiving $4.3 million from the Ministry of Education to add a child care centre to St. Joseph School in the city's east end.
The board's education director said the goal is to address long-standing demand in the area.
"We understand that spaces are full already in the existing programs available in the area," said Tricia Weltz. "This will provide families with an additional opportunity for childcare services."
The new funding is in addition to around $2 million in provincial startup funding received in 2018, before the pandemic delayed the project.
The facility will include 49 new spaces, with three rooms for different age groups.
It is a collaborative initiative between the school board and Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board, which manages childcare in the district.
Director of children's services Shannon Costello said it's is an exciting step toward filling a capacity gap in the city.
"There will be an infant room, a toddler room and a pre-school room," Costello said. "All three rooms will be built to a full-capacity ratio for three staff."
The vision is for the centre to be state-of-the-art, with the added benefit of being attached to an elementary school, giving children a smoother transition into academic life.
Talks about construction are still underway, Weltz said, as are discussions around an opening date.
Costello said this will certainly help with the large demand for child care in the city, but that more still needs to be done.
She said the federal government's proposed national child care system that would have services cost just $10 a day would certainly see demand surge, and so the city needs to be ready.
"We do definitely need to start looking at where we could be expanding across the city and the district."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.