Introduction

The Economic Development Action Plan, presented to Council on January 30, 2025, highlighted a shortage of child care availability and options in Prince Edward County, creating a significant barrier for local businesses and challenges for families.

As a result, Prince Edward County Council directed staff to form a Task Team to develop a plan to explore increasing the availability of child care in Prince Edward County, including recommendations to Council that require municipal assets or support. The Task Team met three times between May and September 2025 and this report contains an overview of work completed and recommended action items.

It is important to note that this plan represents only the beginning of the work. The Task Team has developed a strong foundation of ideas and initial actions, and moving forward, continued collaboration will be essential to achieve short- and long-term goals. To support this, the establishment of an ongoing Child Care Planning Table is being recommended as a key action item. This collaborative effort would help implement action items and identify new opportunities as the child care landscape changes and evolves.