SHAUNAVON — Since April 1, 2023, all parents with children under the age of six in a regulated childcare centre or home in Saskatchewan are eligible to receive child care for $10 per day or $217.50 per month. The reduced fees apply to all children under the age of six occupying an infant, toddler, preschool or school-age space.
Families with children enrolled 10 days or more per month pay a childcare fee of $217.50 per month. Families with children enrolled fewer than 10 days per month pay a childcare fee of $10 per day. The introduction of the $10/day maximum for children under 6 years of age has increased demand for childcare spaces. The Government of Saskatchewan subsidizes the regulated daycare for the remaining portion.
Provincially regulated means that the childcare provider is regulated and monitored by the Early Years Branch of the Ministry of Education. Regulated centres and family child care homes meet and maintain specific standards stated in The Child Care Act, 2014 and The Child Care Regulations, 2015 and will have a provincially issued child care licence. Shaunavon Children’s Learning Centre Cooperative is one of the provincially regulated daycares in the province.
This change in fee cap has improved affordability for local families and the Shaunavon Children’s Learning Centre Co-operative will be growing to meet demand in 2025 following expansion approval by the Ministry of Education’s Early Years Branch.
Board President Joelle Pappenfus explains, “This project has been under consideration for several years and is now proceeding. The blueprints have been drafted and approved by an engineer. We hope to break ground in Spring 2025 with initial cement work once the frost is out of the ground. The Ministry also granted 20 additional childcare spaces for the Centre in Shaunavon, which will increase our capacity to 74 children. Enrollment was getting pretty high at the learning centre so we want to be able to provide for the community.”
She adds, “With the new fee cap of $10/day, non-working parents also find it more affordable to take advantage of daycare for the social interaction aspect it can offer children.”
Partial funding for the expansion was available through a grant from the Government of Saskatchewan. The Board may consider allocating funding from reserves or other financing options to ensure the project is completed.
Pappenfus adds, “Our staff have been amazing. Delana Floberg, our Admin Supervisor, has been with us since the start of the Cooperative in 1995. She was there when the initial construction of our current building took place in 2003. She’s well-versed in the regulations that we have to follow. There are many requirements we had to take into consideration for the expansion, for example, the types of windows and the amount of natural light required.” She adds, “There are very high standards for a government-regulated daycare. Training requirements for staff are very high and our staff is unbelievable; they’re some of the best.”
Floberg and the Centre’s Director, Gladys Escabillas, are part of the staff of 13 people at the centre, all of who are certified Early Childhood Educators or are working toward certification. Pappenfus is president of the nine-member volunteer board that oversees the co-operative.
Regarding construction, Pappenfus says, “Right now our goal is to break ground in spring. We should be able to start concrete work as soon as the frost is out of the ground.” When asked if any disruption to services is anticipated, she explains, “The expansion will be built on to the east side of the building in what is the current deck area, so there shouldn’t be much disruption as it’s adding on to the existing building. The Centre has utilized alternate spaces for secondary housing in the past and we will pursue those options, as needed, to prevent any short-term disruption.”
