CBU, province to build campus daycare facility that will triple available spaces

The number of daycare spaces at Cape Breton University is set to nearly triple and the university does not expect to have any trouble filling them.

The Nova Scotia government says it will help build a new facility next to the medical building that's under construction, expanding the number of spaces on campus from 35 to 104.

That had university president David Dingwall saying "wow" in front of a large crowd of CBU faculty and staff on Friday. A large contingent of the children already in daycare took part.

"The need for child-care spaces is at an all-time high and with 35 spaces, it's just not enough," he said. "So up to 104, you'll see those fill up very, very quickly."

Dingwall said the university's daycare already has an extensive waitlist. He said opening more spaces will help with recruitment and retention of employees and students.

"Student services is a big, big issue for all universities and communities across the country and when you can get a lift from 35 to 104 spaces, whether it be for faculty kids, staff kids or students and their kids, it's an enormous impact on our community."

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Brendan Maguire said increasing access to daycare is good for the economy and for the future.

"It's an investment in people and we know that when there is affordable, accessible child care, more people work and more people will go back to school."

CBU and the province plan to split the cost of construction, but neither Dingwall nor Maguire could say what the cost of the facility will be or how that will be shared.

Dingwall said construction is expected to start soon and the facility should be open within a year.