EXCERPTS
Premier Kathy Dunderdale announced today more than $685,000 in funding to support three child-care centres in the communities of Labrador City and Wabush.
According to a news release, the funding is being provided through the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Capacity Initiative of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services. It will support the development of 117 new regulated child-care spaces in Labrador and also sustain existing spaces by providing funding for renovations to maintain a current child-care facility.
"Supporting children and their families is a top priority for our government," Dunderdale said. "Not only will these additional child-care spaces help promote the healthy development of children, they will also contribute to the overall economic development for the region and the province as a whole."
Funding was provided to two sponsoring agencies in Labrador - Labrador West Child Care Incorporated and Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church - for the development of new spaces and to maintain an existing child care program.
Labrador West Child Care Incorporated has received approximately $445,000 to support its two new child care programs, After School Zone and Building Blocks. This is in addition to more than $68,000 provided by the provincial government in developmental funding.
After School Zone is an after school program located at the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Labrador City. This new centre will accommodate 57 children.
Building Blocks, which will operate out of the J.R. Smallwood Middle School in Wabush, will have 60 spaces. The Provincial Government has also committed to providing a sustaining grant of approximately $130,000 annually to Building Blocks.
"We are very excited by the opening of the new child care center and the after school program," said Noreen Careen, representative for Labrador West Child Care Incorporated. "Child care has been an issue for young families relocating to our area and they no doubt will be pleased with these developments."
Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church received $112,000 for required renovations at Wee College, a 48-space part-time child care program in Labrador City. This funding is in addition to approximately $90,000 provided in 2008 for another home room at Wee College to accommodate 16 new part-time child care spaces in the program.
"We have received a great deal of support from the provincial government over the past few years," said Doris Sacrey, representative of Glad Tidings Pentecostal Church. "Their investments give us the opportunity to make important renovations at Wee College and provide top-quality child care to additional children and families in our community."
-reprinted from The Telegram