Officials are urging municipalities in Peterborough County to offer any underused space or surplus land to help create more child-care spaces as demand continues to grow.
During Wednesday’s county council meeting, Peterborough Children’s Services — which provides child-care services in Peterborough city and county — outlined the service’s current child-care spaces and wait-lists for children ages 0 to 12.
Nancy Fisher, project consultant for the Peterborough Childcare Expansion plan, reported that at the end of 2023, there were approximately 4,400 licensed child-care spaces among 59 sites. There were also 73 licensed home child-care providers.
However, as of April 2024, there are 3,700 children in the city and county on a wait-list for a child-care service, Fisher says.
“Though the system is large, it is not nearly large enough,” said Fisher, who presented with Sandra Robinson, manager of children’s services.
Within the county (consisting of eight townships), there are currently 1,472 spaces, with 1,128 children on a wait-list. Some townships, such as Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, have wait-lists that exceed the spaces available, Fisher noted.
“A lot of children will age out of child care before they get a licensed space,” Fisher said.
Peterborough County data on child-care spaces and wait-lists by township.
There are 21 licensed child-care sites offering 1,400 spaces within the county. There are also a dozen home care providers that can each accept up to six children, creating an additional 72 spaces.
Fisher says “priority areas” to focus on adding more child spaces include Selwyn Township, Cavan-Monaghan Township and Peterborough’s northwest/Chemong area and southwest section.
“We aren’t necessarily restricted to those areas,” she said.
Fisher asked county councillors to look into any municipally owned buildings and land space that might be available to help create new child-care spaces.
“We really need to turn our attention to growth in the county; we are struggling there in terms of trying to find spaces,” she said.
One main concern is if the new spaces aren’t offered, the program loses government funding each year — estimated at up to $3 million.
In 2023, Peterborough Children’s Services opened 51 home care spaces along with 39 new child-care spaces at the Norwood Public School.
The program is on track for more than 100 new spaces in 2024, including 49 at the Northminster United Church in Peterborough, 24 at the Peterborough YMCA and 30 home child-care spaces.
The aim in 2025 is for 49 new spaces at the Compass Early Learning Centre at St. Joseph’s Elementary School in Douro-Dummer Township.
“If we don’t open these spaces, we are going to leave money on the table with the federal and provincial governments,” Fisher said.
Selwyn Township Mayor Sherry Senis said one option in her township could be the former Ridpath Junior Public School building in Lakefield that currently sits vacant. However, she noted the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board has stated it may reuse the building in the future.
“In the interim, it could be the perfect spot,” she said. “It’s sitting there empty and it’s a crying shame.”
Otonabee-South Monaghan Township Mayor Joe Taylor was receptive to the idea of exploring options to help provide child-care spaces.
“I think it’s something that every township council should be aware of and put some thoughts toward,” he said.
However, Asphodel-Norwood Township Mayor Pat Wilford says any decision would have to consider the financial fallout.
“All kinds of organizations are looking for space — all have great ideas; they don’t have funds,” he said. “Being the smallest municipality in the county with our tax base, we just can’t give things away.”
County warden Bonnie Clark says one concern that needs to be addressed is improved wages for early childhood educators. She says it’s likely preventing existing child-care sites from expanding if they can’t attract staff.
“That’s a huge problem why we can’t take that $3 million off the table,” Clark said.
Child-care funding
Fisher notes that in March 2022, child services locally “changed” and demand began to spike after Ontario entered into a $13.2-billion Canada-wide early learning and child-care agreement. The deal includes the goal of lowering child-care fees to $10 per day for children ages five and under.
Before the announcement, there were 2,200 city and county children on a wait-list — a number that has ballooned 60 per cent in five years.
“I have worked in social services for over 30 years and I don’t think I’ve ever thought we’d see this kind of change in child care,” Fisher said.
At the time of the agreement, Fisher said the average daily cost for a child was $42.
“We are halfway there now — we are down to $21 per day,” she said. “By 2026 the goal is to be at $10 per day.”
Fisher says the Peterborough area received $13.3 million for child care in 2023 and $15.5 million in 2023, and $18.9 million is earmarked for 2024.
The funding covers 485 new child-care spaces (39 of those in schools) by 2026.
Peterborough Children’s Services has requested additional funding for 162 more spaces, but is still “waiting” for a response.