At the moment, the County has space for 324 children between birth and 6 years old in both its care programs, but there are still 363 infants, toddlers and pre-school children on the HUB’s wait list. 

Even the welcome announcement of a major HUB expansion into a new centre at Base31, which will offer 49 new spots come January, barely makes a dent.

The Child Care Task Team was established in March and includes councillors and County staff alongside representatives from the HUB, the school board, Baxter Arts, Prince Edward County Needs Childcare, and PELASS. 

Ashley Stewart, Community Services, Programs and Initiatives Coordinator for the County, presented 7 recommendations for increasing both day and after-school care in the County, focusing on those that require the most municipal support. The plan looks for funding and in-kind support to expand services.

The Task Team is working on an application to the Vital Impact Fund for a pilot to increase the number of at-home daycare spaces and to offer child-care during non-traditional hours. “Care in the county is limited to daytime, and not on weekends,” she noted. 

The Task Team suggested new transit routes between Belleville and Picton. ”Transportation is a barrier for ECE’s,” Ms. Stewart noted.

In the absence of more funding, Ms. Stewart said the municipality can use carry-over funds from 2025.

A central component of the plan is clear direction for the municipality to advocate for more funding from the province, including calling for a province-wide wage grid for ECEs. Many ECEs in Ontario start at minimum wage, with the average at about $21 an hour.

“The biggest impact we can make is advocating at the provincial level,” Ms. Stewart emphasized. 

Between May and September the Child Care Task Team spoke with parents, caregivers, and employers to understand how the absence of child care is affecting both the economy, and the feasibility of living here for parents of young children. 

Parents reported being forced to leave the workforce to stay home and care for their children. 

Almost half of the employers surveyed said they had lost workers due to lack of child care, and any plans for growth had to be put on hold.

The impact is felt throughout the wider community, where essential services such as health care face recruitment challenges. Two family physicians turned down working here because of low childcare availability. 

Limited child care space has a profound impact on the children who don’t have access to early childhood development programs. It also prevents parents from taking paid work, increasing poverty and food insecurity. 

“When there is childcare in place, it helps contribute to more vibrant communities,” said Ms. Stewart.