New Brunswick receives $18M build more child-care spaces

Federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic Leblanc announced $18 million over four years to help New Brunswick build more child-care spaces during a visit in his home province on Wednesday.

Lack of spaces is a problem across the country, and New Brunswick is no different; the provincial waitlist has 4,457 children – including unborn children – as of May 15.

“This money is extremely important because for a not-for-profit in a rural area to try and raise funds to build an early childhood learning centre is extremely difficult,” said Bill Hogan, New Brunswick’s education and early childhood development minister.

In December, Hogan asked anyone interested in creating a child-care centre – or an existing centre wanting to expand – to apply for spaces.

The province’s goal is to create 3,400 new spaces by March 31, 2026, including not-for-profit and for-profit child-care centres, although there is more space available for the not-for-profit centres.

Hogan said Wednesday there were just 57 spaces left in the not-for-profit sector, calling the request for proposals a success. He says they take whatever proposals come in and evaluate them on a monthly basis.

“Preferably rural, but not necessarily just limited to that… we're going to announce within the next couple of weeks how the infrastructure funding will roll out because it is a significant amount of money,” Hogan said.

Roughly 68 per cent of the facilities in the province are for-profit, and the remaining 32 per cent are not-for-profit.

The federal government, under its Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care agreement, prioritizes not-for-profit centres, because they are “generally considered to have a higher quality of service,” according to the provincial department.

Nova Scotia also received nearly $20 million as it aims to build 9,500 spaces by 2026. Prince Edward Island, which has already exceeded the shared goal of 452 new spaces by 2026, received $10.1 million

Leblanc and Hogan each made comments on how well the two levels of government have worked together on this issue.

“We don't have to agree on everything, but let's focus on the areas where we have brought agreement and try and move as quickly as we can on things that are important to Canadians,” Leblanc said.

'No comment' on Policy 713 disputes

One area the two governments do not appear to agree: New Brunswick’s Policy 713.

The policy, which passed last year, requires teachers to get parents’ consent if a student under thae age of 16 wants to use a new name or pronoun.

Marci Ien, federal minister for women, gender equality and youth, attended the child-care announcement and later reporters asked for her thoughts on that policy.

“I have a kid who can come to me. He can speak to me at any time about anything. But there are some kids who can't do that at home. There's some kids where home isn't a safe place. And that's what we're talking about here. That's why a supportive school where kids would spend most of the hours of any given day is really important,” she said.

Hogan has been battling some school districts on their resistance to adoption of the provincial policy.

On Wednesday, Hogan said he had no comment on the issue.

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.