Excerpts
As a parent raising children in the N.W.T., Melissa Syer says she's enthusiastic about the federal and territorial government rolling out cheaper daycare in the N.W.T. faster than expected.
As someone involved in the operation of a daycare, it's a different story.
"I'm skeptical, maybe even a little worried," said Syer, the president of the Yellowknife Daycare Association.
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Syer said the Yellowknife Daycare Association has a lot of moving parts, and funding isn't allocated for some of their services.
"There's been lots of questions. To double down on this right now — I'd like to be optimistic, but I'm skeptical."
She said backup teachers, and the association's full-time cook, are not covered under the new model.
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Fourteen communities in the N.W.T. do not have licensed early learning and child care programs, according to the territorial government.
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Patricia Davison, executive director of Children First Society in Inuvik, N.W.T., said she shares Syer's concerns about Thursday's announcement.
"We were quite surprised by the announcement. We didn't know or see that coming," she said.
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"Children First isn't even near the $10-a-day cost. We have to charge a certain cost in order to be sustainable," she said.