Morris, Morden to get additional childcare spaces through expanded federal/provincial initiative

More daycare spaces are coming to the Town of Morris and City of Morden.
    
The provincial and federal governments have tacked another $14 million dollars on to their joint ready-to-move daycare project initiative based on the success of the first phase announced in November, and the second phase was expanded to an additional 1,004 spaces in 14 facilities. In total, a $94-million total investment from the governments of Canada and Manitoba will create 1,670 new child-care spaces and 23 new centres.
    
Under phase 2, another 104 daycare spaces will be created in Morris, and 74 more spaces in Morden.
    
New facilities approved in the second phase of the project are expected to be operational before the end of the year.

“The Government of Canada is proud to announce these additional child-care spaces for rural and First Nations communities,” said federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould. “The ready-to-move pilot project is another example how the Canada-wide system leverages innovation and collaboration between federal, provincial, municipal, and First Nations communities to ensure that every family, no matter where they live, has access to high-quality and affordable childcare.”

The ready-to-move child-care project is a partnership between the governments of Canada and Manitoba, municipal governments and First Nation communities to develop new child-care facilities in less than a year in areas with a demonstrated need for child-care spaces.

“The Manitoba government is making investments to ensure families in rural and First Nations communities have access to affordable childcare,” said Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko. “To achieve this goal, our government is taking an innovative approach through ready-to-move construction technology to create child-care spaces more quickly.”

Construction is now underway on sites announced last November during the first phase of the project, including in the R.M. of Morris, with construction slated to begin at other sites in late spring 2023. Eligible applicants provided serviced land rent free for 15 years to the child-care provider, as well as building support services and maintenance and repair commitments.

Click here for more information on the ready-to-move child-care project.  

The child-care spaces being developed with this investment are part of the Manitoba government’s commitment to develop 23,000 new, regulated not-for-profit child-care spaces for children under age seven across the province by 2026.

You can find more information about the Canada-Manitoba Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child-Care Agreement, early learning and child-care development supports, and child-care services in Manitoba here.