The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville is set to receive an additional 240 licensed child care spaces through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) initiative. This new development adds to the previously announced 397 spaces, bringing the total number of high-quality, affordable child care spaces to 637 by the end of 2026.
The initiative is part of the Ontario government’s commitment to create 86,000 new child care spaces across the province, aimed at improving access to affordable, high-quality child care for families.
Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, expressed gratitude for the initiative, highlighting its positive impact on working families in the community. “This expansion of local spaces will be a tremendous relief for parents who rely on day care,” said Clark.
To date, 222 new spaces have already opened in areas such as Kemptville, Brockville, and Prescott. An additional 74 spaces are under development in Portland and Gananoque, with plans to open by the end of 2025. Further expansion projects are currently in the planning phase to meet the growing demand for affordable child care in the region.
Warden Corinna Smith-Gatcke emphasized the importance of this expansion in meeting the needs of families across the Counties.
(By: Tim Baltz)