Introduction
The Rural Municipality of Kinkora in Prince Edward Island (PEI) is one of the few public entities in Atlantic Canada to establish, operate, and expand a municipally run Early Years Centre and school-age program. This paper examines how and why the municipality chose to deliver child care as part of its core community services.
The rural municipality of Kinkora – the first municipality in PEI to operate an Early years Centre and school age care program
Located 41 kilometres west of Charlottetown, the Rural Municipality of Kinkora is a small community with a population of approximately 400. First settled in 1835, Kinkora was incorporated as a village in 1955 and later designated as a rural municipality under Prince Edward Island’s updated municipal framework.
The municipality is responsible for delivering a range of local services, including sewer and water services, development permitting, infrastructure maintenance, and the upkeep of parks and recreational facilities. Its primary sources of revenue include property taxes, provincial and federal transfers—such as equalization payments from the provincial government and the Canada Community-Building Fund, used for infrastructure projects—and user fees from municipal services and facility rentals.
Kinkora is governed by a mayor and six councillors. The municipal office is located in Kinkora Place, a community facility that also houses a public library and a multi-use hall for local events and activities.