'We're completely bleeding money': Fall River daycare latest casualty of growing crisis
A pizza lunch is barely enough to calm the mayhem that comes with a room full of toddlers, but there's no shortage of love and care at the Fall River Childcare Centre -- a lifeline for dozen of parents in the area, but not for much longer.
After struggling financially for months, the owners say the end is near: the doors will close next month.
"We're completely bleeding money," co-owner Lindsay Awalt told CTV News Wednesday, saying losses have been topping $10,000 a month, and there's no more runway.
"As an owner and operator, and director, and early childhood educator, I'm actually not paying myself right now," said Awalt.
It's difficult as well for workers like early childhood educator Jenna LeBlanc.
"It's devastating, honestly,” says LeBlanc. “I love it here. This is my home. I don't want to work anywhere else," said LeBlanc. "I love my kids."
Accessing childcare is becoming a growing issue in Nova Scotia, with more and more parents saying it simply isn't available.
Like untold numbers of others, Amber Rochon's family is left to wait -- and hope.
Parents are actually signing up months before their children are born.
"Personally, I'm on so many wait-lists right now that I can't even remember how many I'm on," said Rochon.
Operators have also been sounding the alarm about rising costs and staffing shortages.
Like others, Fall River Childcare has struggled to amend its licence in the rapidly changing sector, which is moving toward the much-touted Canada Wide Early Learning and Childcare Agreement -- the $10 daycare.
"We are in year one of a five-year transformation in Nova Scotia," Nova Scotia Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Becky Druhan told CTV News, adding the department continues to work with parents and operators, including Fall River.
The end game is what's important, she says.
"We're in the midst of a transformation that's going to allow more families access to affordable care, and we're well on the way to that," said Druhan.
"I should never have had to close my business that's needed and I should have got some funding last year to help us keep the doors open," said Awalt, summing up the decision to close this way: "Devastated and heartbroken."
The doors will close Nov. 4.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.