PROVINCE FUNDS NEW CHILD CARE CENTRE FOR CUMBERLAND HOUSE

A new child care centre will soon open in Cumberland House thanks to funding provided by the provincial government as part of its Child Care Saskatchewan initiative. The Waskahikanik Early Childhood Development Centre will provide up to 21 child care spaces to qualifying families in the community.

Across the province, the government is spending $1.8 million to create 500 new child care spaces this year as the first step of the plan that will create 1200 new spaces during the next four years.

"The new child centre will provide Cumberland House families with access to quality and affordable child care while they go to school or work," Community Resources and Employment Minister Glenn Hagel said while visiting Cumberland House. "Child Care Saskatchewan helps our children get a good start in life and ensures a future that is wide open to opportunity."

"We want to thank the province for helping us start a new child care centre in our community," Waskahikanik Early Childhood Development Centre board member representative Diane Fossenuve said.

Child Care Saskatchewan is a $3 million dollar program with $2.2 million coming from the Government of Saskatchewan and $800,000 in funding from the Government of Canada. Other initiatives supported by the program include $1 million in funding to increase child care subsidies by $20 per month and a $200,000 increase in Early childhood Services grant funding to address wage and human resource requirements in licensed child care facilities.

The Province of Saskatchewan is spending $22 million this year to support approximately 7,900 child care spaces in Saskatchewan.

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For More Information, Contact:

Herman Hulshof Community Resources and Employment Regina Phone: (306)787-0916