Families in Timmins will soon have more child care options with the provincial government’s new investment of 1.1 million dollars to add more spaces.
The announcement comes as part of the province’s goal to increase the access to licensed spaces across Ontario by 45,000 over the next five years.
District School Board Ontario North East and Cochrane social services plan to use the money to create almost 50 new, licensed childcare spaces at Schumacher Public School.
School board officials say there is an increased demand for child care in the Timmins area and that having a centre located in a school will aid in positive transitions for students and families.
“We wanted easy access for families in Schumacher, to help alleviate the problems of transportation. The location within the school makes sense.” said Beth Nowak of the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board.
The proposed new facility would be over 3,000 square feet in the northern wing of the school, which was chosen for its location and easy access for pick up and drop off. The daycare will also have a dedicated and enclosed playground.
Renovations are expected to start in the spring and be ready to open January 2019.
