Manitoba promises additional $600K to double child-care spaces at Brandon YMCA

The province of Manitoba has promised an additional $600,000 in funding for an expansion of the Brandon YMCA's child-care centre.

The expansion will double the child-care spaces at Brandon's Y Downtown Early Learning Centre from 48 to 96, Premier Heather Stefanson said at an announcement at the Brandon YMCA Tuesday morning.

"As a government, we recognize that in order for Manitobans to be able to participate in the workforce, upgrade their skills and training, support their family and play an active role in the growth of our communities and economy, access to affordable high quality child care is absolutely essential across our province," Stefanson at the news conference.

The province initially announced $600,000 in funding for the expansion project in July 2022 through a provincial fund that provides capital grant money for child-care centre projects. The newly announced funding brings the province's contribution for the Brandon expansion to a total of $1.2 million. 

A recent change to that child-care building fund increased the maximum funding contribution from the province to 60 per cent of total construction costs, up from the previous limit of 40 per cent. That change means projects can now receive up to $1.2 million in capital funding.

In addition to the doubling the child-care spaces at the Y Downtown's child-care facility, the Brandon expansion project will include two outdoor play spaces, along with community service programming for youth, seniors and families.

The expansion is expected to open this November, the province said in a Tuesday news release.

"Every additional space means that more families will have access to quality care," Lon Cullen, the chief executive officer of YMCA Brandon, was quoted as saying in the news release.

The expansion will mean "parents from over 40 families will be able to work, contributing to the economy of our region, knowing their children will be well cared for," he said.