The Altona Community Development Corporation is awaiting a consultant's report on child care spaces in the community.

In discussions with ACDC, local businesses identified a shortage of daycare spaces as a significant problem in attracting and retaining workers. That shortage of spaces was confirmed by two local daycare centres, which have a long waiting list of clients.

As a result, ACDC initiated the study to determine how deep the need was and possible options for addressing the issue.

Kay Grant and Susan Prentice of Reconnaissance Management Consulting Group based in Winnipeg were brought in to conduct the report.

"Susan Prentice is a professor at the University of Manitoba who specializes in childcare policy and research while Kay Grant's was a director of a childcare facility and has spent a lifetime working in and around childcare centres," said Altona CAO Dan Gagne. "So they both have a deep understanding of the issue."

Gagne said Prentice has a good working knowledge of the Pembina Valley as she was part of a previous childcare study that was conducted in the region.

Preliminary figures indicate Altona needs an additional 75 to 80 childcare spaces to address the need

The report is expected to be finished by mid-October.